ITB Berlin 2026
Recognised at the Green Destinations Awards ceremony during ITB Berlin — a global platform where destination leaders share best practice in responsible tourism.
Green Destination
Green Destination
Sustainable management for people, culture, and place
Green Destinations is an international programme that recognises places managing tourism responsibly — balancing visitor experience with community well-being, cultural integrity, and environmental care. Assessments are aligned with the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC), the global reference for sustainable travel and tourism.
In 2026, Takua Pa Old Town became the first destination in Thailand to receive the Green Destinations Bronze Award — presented at ITB Berlin, the world's leading travel trade fair. The honour celebrates a deliberate, community-grounded path from tin-mining prosperity to today's heritage destination.
The 2026 award
Thailand's first Bronze
Takua Pa Old Town is the first Thai destination certified at Bronze level under the Green Destinations Awards and Certification Programme.
GSTC-aligned assessment
The award reflects independent evaluation against internationally recognised sustainability standards used worldwide for destination management.
Thailand Good Travel
Presented under the Thailand Good Travel national programme, linking local heritage action with the country's Green Tourism Plan 2030.
Our sustainability project
From mining town to managed heritage destination
Takua Pa's Green Destination journey did not begin with a single event — it grew from years of conservation work in Talad Yai, community festivals, building restorations, and careful planning by Takua Pa Municipality together with residents, businesses, and tourism partners.
The project treats the old town as a living neighbourhood, not a theme park. That means Sunday walking streets run with local vendors, shrines remain places of worship, and restored shophouses still house families and kopitiams — while visitors are invited to explore respectfully.
Historic town zone planning and guidance for sensitive building conservation
Community-led Sunday walking street and cultural programming on Sri Takua Pa Road
Restoration and adaptive reuse of landmarks — from Tao Ming School to Kopi Kuapa
Heritage storytelling through street art, signage, and bilingual visitor information
Connecting old-town visits with low-impact nature experiences — mangrove canals and kayak routes nearby
Visitor etiquette messaging that protects residential life, shrines, and neighbourhood quiet
National programme context
Part of Thailand's push for measurable sustainable tourism
The Department of Tourism promotes destinations through the Thailand Green Tourism Plan 2030, working with a network of organisations and Thailand Green Coach advisers. Destinations that meet national Good Travel standards can progress toward international Green Destinations recognition — Takua Pa Old Town's Bronze award marks that pathway in action for Phang Nga.
- Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC) as the shared framework
- Thailand Good Travel standards and Green Coach support for local destinations
- Independent assessment before certification — transparency and credibility
- Long-term aim: resilient destinations where tourism benefits residents and protects place
Six sustainability themes
Green Destinations evaluates how a place performs across six core themes. Here is how Takua Pa Old Town approaches each area in practice.
Destination management
Coordinated planning between municipality, community groups, and tourism stakeholders — including walking-street schedules, heritage zoning, and clear visitor guidance rather than unplanned growth.
Culture & tradition
Protecting shrines, Sino-Portuguese architecture, festivals, and everyday customs — from vegetarian festival traditions to kopitiam culture — as living heritage, not staged performance.
Environment & climate
Encouraging low-impact travel, care for canals and greenery, and awareness of how old-town visits connect to wider Phang Nga ecosystems from mangroves to forested hills.
Social well-being
Fair economic benefits for residents, respect for neighbourhood character, and tourism that supports — rather than displaces — local shops, schools, and places of worship.
Nature & scenery
Promoting the district as a gateway to Phang Nga's landscapes — riverside heritage in town, kayak routes and canopy waterways a short journey away.
Business & communication
Honest storytelling about Takua Pa's history, transparent information for visitors, and support for small enterprises from food stalls to conserved shophouse cafés.
Our ongoing commitments
The Bronze award is a milestone, not an endpoint. Takua Pa Old Town continues to improve how heritage tourism is managed.
- Preserve architectural heritage without over-commercialisation of the historic core
- Involve local communities and businesses in tourism planning and events
- Promote respectful, low-impact visitor behaviour — especially around homes and shrines
- Align with Thailand Green Tourism Plan 2030 and national Good Travel standards
- Invest in conservation skills, signage, and bilingual interpretation for landmarks
- Measure and share progress — learning from visitors, residents, and sustainability partners