BERLIN – Sri Lanka Tourism was honored with the Green Destination Award at ITB Berlin this year for its many years of efforts in the field of sustainable tourism. The country was credited  for its efforts in implementing sustainable environmental practices in and around the Sigiriya rock fortress. This important historical fortress, dating from the fifth century, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site as early as 1982. The historic site, located on a rocky monolith in the center of the island and surrounded by tropical vegetation, is one of the country’s most important tourist attractions.

After completing a comprehensive evaluation process, the jury decided to honor Sri Lanka Tourism’s efforts for Sigiriya with the Green Destination Bronze Award. This award recognizes outstanding achievements in sustainable fields such as nature and monument protection, waste management, energy efficiency, climate adaptation and risk management. The prestigious award also recognizes the efforts of the South Asian country to further enhance the destination’s attractiveness for tourists in the years to come.

Not only visible criteria such as natural heritage are assessed and evaluated, but also political strategies and management plans, which must comply with the principles of sustainable development.
Participating organizations undergo a demanding and comprehensive qualification program: Destinations are required to implement a sustainability management system, with independent reviews of performance and progress, as well as recommendations for improvements, taking place every two to three years.

After extensive preparation and reporting, 97 sustainability criteria and indicators are examined during an independent on-site audit.
“This award is an important milestone for tourism in Sri Lanka, especially at a time when sustainable tourism is becoming increasingly important to travelers around the world,” said Buddika Hewawasam, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, at the award ceremony on March 4 at the ITB in Berlin.

The award is an incentive for the country’s tourism industry to adopt more sustainable practices and to further strengthen Sri Lanka as a leading sustainable destination of global excellence, emphasized Hewawasam in Berlin.

The Green Destinations Award & Certification Program encourages communities, counties, regions and protected areas to continuously and sustainably promote responsible destination management and encourage the tourism sector to adopt environmental practices. With the support of regional partners and representatives, more than 160 destinations in 60 countries have received awards and certifications to date. The Green Destinations certification has been recognized by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) since 2018.