The winners of the 2026 ICRT Southeast Asia Responsible Tourism Awards have been announced at the ICRTH conference in Malaysia covering innovative and replicable initatives in climate adaptation, nature positive and regenerative tourism, championing cultural diversity, diversity equity and inclusion and creating local economic benefit.
CHAMPIONING CULTURAL DIVERSITY RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AWARD
GOLD: Thai Hai Village, Vietnam
Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thanh Hai, recognized the risk of Tay culture gradually disappearing under the pressures of modernization. In response, she initiated the development of a living community where cultural values are not only preserved but practiced daily. The core mission of the village is to preserve and promote the traditional culture of the Tay ethnic group through every day life, including traditional lifestyles, folk knowledge, language, clothing, and customs. Rather than preserving culture as a performance or exhibition, the focus is on the intergenerational transmission of cultural heritage.
Elders play a central role in passing knowledge, skills, and values to younger generations through daily activities, ensuring that traditions are continuously practiced rather than lost over time. On this foundation the village has developed a community-based tourism model with Tay culture at its core. 28 original Tay stilt houses were carefully relocated and restored, there are now more than 30, all preserved in their authentic form and continuously used in daily life. Regeneration of village land began with fast-growing acacia trees to regenerate the soil, followed by the planting of native palm trees, which can live for generations and play an important role in Tay culture and daily life. The Thai Hai Village has developed into a community model consisting of approximately 150 members who live, work, and share resources together. Visitors are invited to actively engage in daily life through meaningful experiences , staying in traditional stilt houses, sharing meals with local families, participating in farming and food preparation, experiencing traditional health and wellness practices, and staying overnight in the village. These interactions are based on real life rather than staged performances, enabling meaningful cultural exchange between visitors and the community.
Young people continue to learn, practice, and sustain their cultural heritage through these interactions. Cultural practices such as cooking, farming, herbal medicine, and storytelling are maintained as part of daily routines rather than being separated for tourism purposes. Tourism is integrated into this living system as a complementary activity.
The village has been welcoming visitors since 2011 and it it was officially recognised as tourism destination in 2014. Thai Hai Village welcomes approximately 50,000 domestic and international visitors annually, with the capacity to host more than 1,000 day visitors and 300–500 overnight guests. Approximately 90% of visitors discover Thai Hai Village through personal recommendations rather than formal marketing.The judges were excited to see this rare example of a community sustaining itself and its living culture using tourism as a complementary activity and additional source of income.
SILVER: Marang Marang Women’s Association, Malamawi Island, Isabela de Basilan, Philippines
Founded in 2019, the Marang Marang Women’s Association (MMWA) is composed of Sama Banguingui and Bajau women; two indigenous groups rich in cultural heritage, managing the Marang Marang Floating Cottages and Mangrove Sanctuary. The MMWA offers visitors direct engagement with the community through traditional culinary experiences such as Tepo mat weaving (increased from two active weavers to 15), cultural performances such as igal dance (Bajau Traditional Dance), and guided mangrove and coastal activities. The community’s culinary traditions are used as a primary medium for cultural exchange, allowing guests to understand and appreciate the identity of the community. In the Mangrove Sanctuary kayaking tours, snorkelling and birdwatching are offered and the MMWA organises mangrove planting, coastal clean-ups, and environmental awareness campaigns.
Since 2019 the membership has increased from 20–30 members to more than130 active women, providing alternative livelihood opportunities, generating an estimated monthly income of Php 9,000–15,000 compared to minimal, or no income prior to 2019. The judges recognise that the Marang Marang Women’s Association demonstrates how tourism can be used as a tool to preserve culture, provide inclusive economic opportunities, and change negative perceptions of marginalized indigenous communities.
SILVER: TUI Colourful Cultures Battambang, Cambodia
Battambang is a cultural tourism and creative economy initiative implemented by the TUI Care Foundation in partnership with Phare Ponleu Selpak, a leading Cambodian arts organisation. The programme supports artists through training, scholarships, infrastructure improvements and platforms to showcase their work. Emphasis is placed on supporting artists from marginalised backgrounds, including women and artists from the LGBTQ+ community, who often face additional barriers to professional artistic education, visibility and professional art careers. Student artists receive professional arts education at the Phare Ponleu Selpak art school in Battambang with the strongest performers offered opportunities to join Phare, the Cambodian Circus in Siem Reap – Cambodia’s most popular cultural tourism attraction. This creates a clear pathway from grassroots artistic training to professional employment within the tourism sector, ensuring that cultural tourism directly benefits local creatives. A central component of the initiative is the organisation of large-scale urban arts festivals that transform public spaces into cultural stages. These events feature live performances, workshops, murals, installations and community activities designed to engage residents and visitors alike. By bringing arts into public spaces, the project promotes cultural exchange, strengthens local pride and encourages meaningful interaction between tourists and host communities.
25 artists (14 women and 11 LGBTQ+ students) have received scholarships, enabling access to high-quality artistic education, mentoring and skills development in performing and visual arts. Around 40,000 people attended the six-day November 2025 S’Art Urban Arts Festival featured a rich and diverse programme, including 11 public mural paintings and a mural competition, traditional and contemporary performances, 3 hip-hop and breakdance workshops, 6 float creation workshops with 6 different public and private high-schools, 21 art and craft workshops, 13 pop-up exhibitions, artist talks and panel discussions, 4 immersive art and cultural tours, a city parade, concerts and evening “Arts After Dark” performances.
The judges recognised the success of the strategy using tourism to support community arts and enable them to flourish.
One to Watch: Eco Ponies Garden, Brunei
Eco Ponies Garden, describes itself as “a humble community garden popular for its sustainable farming practices and authentic kampong cuisine” set within the rainforests of Lamunin, Tutong, Brunei Darussalam. Visitors can experience the traditional rural lifestyle. The judges hope to see a further application when it has developed further and there is more evidence of its impact.
One to Watch: Project Bundok, Mt. Kalisungan Calauan Laguna Philippines
Project Bundok is a community extension program led by Laguna State Polytechnic University (LSPU) under the College of International Hospitality and Tourism Management Los Bańos Campus in partnership with the Local Government of Calauan Laguna designed to transform tourism management in Mt. Kalisungan. By shifting the role of the local community from passive observers to active, empowered enablers of sustainable tourism. The judges were interested to see this academic-led initiative seeking to shift from traditional, top-down environmental regulation to grassroots, technology-driven empowerment model. The project leader Aprilyn E. Etorma, wrote in the application “my primary goal was to influence a shift in how the residents of Mt. Kalisungan perceive themselves not as mere workers in a service industry, but as the rightful stewards and “guardians” of their own heritage. … While many tourism initiatives focus on the visitor experience, our approach prioritizes the host community as the primary architects of sustainability.” The judges hope to see a further application in a few years’ time when the success of the initiative is evident.
One to watch: ZinMai Experiences, Thailand
ZINMAI Experiences is a Chiang Mai/ Northern Thailand –based cultural tourism initiative that develops and delivers inclusive tourism experiences through cooperation between a licensed Thai tour operator (Tour Merng Tai) and Myanmar migrants. It brings Thai hosts and Myanmar migrants together to co-create tourism that reflects shared histories, real lives, and mutual respect. The “flagship product, “One City, Many Stories,” is a half-day walking tour that combines well-known landmarks with everyday spaces such as markets and migrant-owned businesses.” It invites: “visitors to engage with multiple perspectives and to better understand the social realities of the destination… a living crossroads shaped by migration, trade, and shared heritage.” The judges recognise that this is an exciting and radical initiative based on the principle of inclusion, with dual guiding. As it wrote in the award application “ZINMAI Experiences is planning to scale up its role as a platform for inclusive, community-engaged tourism in Northern Thailand, with a strong focus on cooperation between Thai tourism professionals and Myanmar migrants.” We hope to see a further application when the initiative has flourished.
ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AWARD
SILVER: Maesa Hotel, Indonesia
The Maesa Hotel is locally-owned mid-scale accommodation in Ponorogo, East Java. The judges were impressed by its “Saving Water Program” (Gerakan Menabung Air), which enhances water use efficiency throughout the hotel’s operations and works with community stakeholders to promote water security and community welfare. It recognises that water is a critical resource for hotels, as it is used for visitor services, kitchens, laundry, sanitation, and landscape maintenance, and for neighbouring communities in areas of Indonesia suffering from irregular rainfall, droughts and flooding. The hotel initiated the establishment of the Menabung Air Foundation (MAF) in 2017 in Ponorogoa a non-profit organization committed to prevent water scarcity and flooding in Indonesia through nature-based solutions and the implementation of water conservation infrastructure.. It works through public education, collaborating with communities to install Biopore infiltration holes and water absorption wells (sumur resapan) on a wide scale to prevent floods and water crises. This approach replenishes groundwater rather than allowing it to escape as surface run-off, contributing to the restoration of the natural water cycle. In addition, educational programmes with guests and the community promote environmental stewardship and responsible water use. The judges were struck by how the hotel has worked to conserve water for the community and the hotel through ground water, rather than just for the hotel.
One to Watch: Springhill Farmers’ Market, Brunei
Operating in Brunei Darussalam since October 2023, Springhill Farmers’ Market is ASEAN’s first AI-integrated, circular-economy marketplace that directly connects renewable-energy-enabled organic farms to consumers, bypassing the conventional industrial food supply chain. The 4-hectare solar-powered organic farm features aquaponics (fish-plant symbiosis), composting systems, vermicomposting, Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL) bioconversion, and rainwater harvesting. The farm operates 100% off-grid with 141 solar panels across 20 independent systems totalling 69.85 kWp, generating approximately 106,000 kWh annually. The farm also functions as an educational tourism destination, hosting regular tours, school visits, and institutional delegations. It has welcomed more than 1,275 visitors, educating them on renewable energy in agriculture, aquaponic food systems, composting, soil health, and the environmental impact of food choices. The judges recognised the value of educational work on climate adaptation, regenerative agriculture, and sustainable food systems. We hope to see a further application when Springhill Farmers’ Market is more established and linked with tourism.
DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AWARD
GOLD: Talent Incubator for Culture and Tourism Programme, Vietnam
The Talent Incubator for Culture and Tourism Programme is a youth development initiative run by Tam Chuc Tourism Services, that works to make access to tourism learning and opportunity more equitable for young people from different regions, social backgrounds, and cultural communities in Vietnam. Launched in 2020 it is more than a training programme, it provides an inclusive learning platform reducing the barriers that often prevent young people, especially those from remote areas or under-represented backgrounds, from accessing expert guidance, professional networks, and experiential learning. “The programme combines training, mentoring, field-based learning, and creative practice. Participants build knowledge in heritage, culture, and tourism, then apply it in real settings. Importantly, under-represented participants are not only included; they are encouraged to contribute perspectives from their own communities, help shape tourism ideas, and take on leadership roles in collaborative work. In this way, the programme supports diversity in participation, equity in access, and inclusion in voice and leadership.” The programme engaged 2,760 students from 86 universities and colleges across 35 provinces and cities. 185 students were selected for intensive development rounds. Among them, 65% were women and 20% were from ethnic minority communities. Across five years, participants generated 600 cultural tourism product ideas, many linked to local identity, heritage, and community stories. Tam Chuc Tourism Services sought to avoid tourism reproducing existing inequalities. The judges were impressed by the success of this innovative programme and the scale of its plans.
One to Watch: Kampung Wisata Rajut Binong Merajut Asa Kita, Bandung, West Java
MERAKIT is an empowerment of the Binong community, providing equal employment opportunities, as well as developing knitting creativity and tour packages in Binong Tourism Village. The group Merajut Asa Kita was formed with 16 members, including 6 people with disabilities. When tourists visit the Binong Knitting Village, members of Merajut Asa Kita (Merakit) explain the area’s history and current development and sell their hand-knitted products. The judges were intrigued to see this initiative seeking to benefit the marginalised and disadvantaged by enabling them to engage as guides and secure market access to sell their hand knitted proves. We hope to hear more of their success in the future.
LOCAL ECONOMIC BENEFIT RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AWARD
GOLD : Local Alike, Thailand
Local Alike’s website boldly claims “Good Travelling, Lasting Impact’; transforming communities through meaningful regenerative development; empowering local people, creating meaningful change. Local Alike is a social enterprise that uses tourism as a tool for change. Working across Thailand to “turn local wisdom and ways of life into meaningful journeys that create real impact for people, culture, and the planet.” Objectives and process are clearly stated: “Unlike conventional tourism, we don’t just bring visitors to communities, we build those communities to be ready. We co-create experiences with local people, ensuring every activity reflects their identity and benefits them directly. Over time, our role has grown. From developer to promoter, consultant, and investor. We are creating a complete ecosystem that helps communities thrive sustainably.”
Local Alike co-develops a range of tourism products and services with local communities, such as local lifestyle learning activities, traditional food, handicrafts, storytelling by local people, cultural activities, nature-based experiences, community accommodation, guiding services, and other offerings that authentically reflect the identity of the place. It also supports communities through capacity building in areas such as hospitality, visitor experience design, safety, communication, income management, and internal coordination to ensure fair and transparent benefit-sharing. This helps local people participate more actively in, and increasingly manage, tourism within their own communities. Local Alike also acts as a marketing intermediary and marketplace, helping connect community products and services with travellers, corporate clients, and business partners enabling communities to access broader markets and generate real income from tourism.
Impacts reported over the last 13 years: communities have benefited from the sale of products and service to the sum of 120 million THB, 1,500 people have improved service skills, and Local Alike has worked with 300+ communities to build their knowledge of tourism management. The judges were impressed by their recognition that “tourism must actively create value and strengthen communities to be truly successful” and the way it addresses the challenge moving towards a regenerative approach .
SILVER: Kelecung Eco Village, Bali, Indonesia
Kelecung Eco Village is a community-based rural tourism destination in Bali offering authentic natural and cultural experiences: locally-owned homestays, edu-ecotourism (turtle conservation, regenerative agroforestry, organic farming, and hydroponics), wellness experiences (traditional boreh massage, yoga), arts and culture (traditional dance and gamelan music), and soft-adventure activities (trekking, canoeing, cycling). Operating in Desa Adat Kelecung Kelod, a hamlet of just 144 residents, tourism activities directly benefit around 40 people through homestay management, daily forest and co-working space employment, and event services. Overall, approximately 80% of the population now feels the economic impact of tourism, either directly or indirectly. Tourism is limited to a maximum of two groups per month, each staying three to five days, and individual homestay guests to 14-day stays, “in order to protect the daily rhythm and privacy of host families.” All income, whether from online platform bookings, group tours, or direct guest payments, flows into a single communal account from which earnings are distributed to homestays, the women’s catering group, youth guides, cultural performers, and daily workers based on their actual participation in each visit. This process is recorded in a financial ledger and reviewed during regular community meetings held monthly or after each group visit, ensuring full transparency and collective oversight. The judges were impressed by the transparency of the financial management system and the way the initiative was built from the bottom up, : “building awareness and willingness to change within the community itself. … We began with conversations, with scrubbing toilets, with teaching children English, with convincing two families to open their doors to strangers. Everything grew from there. … every innovation, is grounded in our local values and principles of sustainability. Outside input is welcome, but it is always filtered through who we are and what matters to our community.”
Silver: The Ranee of Sarawak Malaysia
The judges were pleased to receive this unusual application. The Ranee of Sarawak offers the “best Sarawak communities have to offer, from intricate weaving handcrafted by talented artisans, exquisite beadworks, stunning homewares, unique apparels and vibrant works of art.” Launched in 2012 it provides two retail outlets in Kuching, the gift shop at Borneo Cultures Museum, and an online marketplace showcasing “curated collections of handmade community arts and crafts for travellers, tourists and locals alike.” It showcases the work of “over 100 independent artisans, crafting communities and charities from across Sarawak, playing a nurturing and advisory role to many start-up brands.” It runs workshops, “artist in residence” programmes, creating new income generating opportunities by selling new products into the craft industry and re-engineering traditional items that have lost their original utility to ensure they remain commercially viable as a direct local economic strategy. For example creating the ‘Selapuk Gadai’, a multipurpose gift box adapted from the traditional ‘Selapuk Tunjang’ (headgear) and betel nut containers.
The Ranee of Sarawak strategy is to ensure that heritage skills remain relevant to the global tourism market, turning “dying arts” into marketable assets that keep tourism spending circulating directly within the longhouse economy. It has leveraged its “hospitality background and high-traffic museum presence to bridge the gap between remote longhouses and global luxury markets. Through initiatives like “Magic of Upcycling” and “Hope in a Bottle,” we prove that traditional heritage can evolve to solve modern environmental challenges, transforming discarded materials into premium revenue streams.” The judges hope that others, inspired by The Ranee will develop something similar in other places.
SILVER: Tripseed, Thailand
Tripseed describes itself as: “a locally owned travel operator and distributor that creates handcrafted, tailor-made holidays designed to explore the true depths of our destinations and facilitate authentic local connections within them. … locally owned and ethically driven.” Its core model is multi-day private itineraries, which consistently represent over 80% of annual guest volume. In 2025, 234 multi-day bookings generated 2,459 total booked days in Thai communities. Because guests are in destination for multiple consecutive days, each booking generates multiple nights of local accommodation, daily meals at local restaurants, multi-day guiding fees, and spread of activity spend across communities. This is a structurally higher per-guest local economic contribution than day tourism.
Tripseed’s application for a Responsible Tourism Award focuses on business conduct rather than its own product. As a social enterprise registered with Social Enterprise Thailand it is legally required to reinvest a minimum of 50% of profits into social justice and environmental initiatives in Thailand. It has made three interconnected commitments: responsible supply chain management, including economic leakage analysis through its Economic Distribution Disclosure Initiative (EDDI); accessible tourism, including Thailand’s first wheelchair-accessible tuk tuk tours; and radical economic transparency, including in 2025 Thailand’s first publicly available GRI 207-aligned tax disclosure for a destination management company.
Tax: Tripseed contributed THB 1,176,496.70 in corporate income tax – a 2.36% tax-to-revenue ratio, 3.1 times the sample average and 4.08 times its proportional revenue share within the sample of Travelife Certified companies. As Tripseed explained in its Responsible Tourism Award application “We chose to act unilaterally because we believed that demonstrating transparency ourselves — including disclosing our own tax figures and benchmarking them against peers – was more credible than calling for industry-wide change. As a locally incorporated company with no nominee shareholders, no intercompany charges, and no offshore revenue recognition, we had nothing to hide.”
Since the judges met to determine who would be recognised this year, Tripseed became the first company of its type in the world accredited under the Fair Tax Foundation’s new National Business Standard for the Fair Tax Mark. This is an independent accreditation that recognises businesses paying the right amount of corporation tax, in the right place, at the right time, and being transparent about how they do it. It isn’t a logo you can buy or a pledge you can sign. It’s an assessment of how a business is structured, governed and taxed, checked against a published standard.
Leakage: When Tripseed applied its EDDI procurement tool it identified vehicle transport as the primary source of economic leakage from Central Thailand products — costs flowing to a national supplier rather than a local one. Tripseed transitioned to a locally based and woman-owned provider in 2025. The estimated provincial retention for Central products improved from approximately 64% to approximately 92% as a result.
Seasonality: in 2024, 73% of Tripseed’s guests travelled in the high season (October to April). By 2025, that split had shifted to 59% high season and 41% low season — a 14% point move toward year-round distribution. For guides, drivers, accommodation providers, and food vendors in Thai communities, the difference between five months of reliable income and three is transformative. For Tripseed the July to August period has become a genuine second peak, driven by European family bookings that average 13.6 days in destination – 40% longer than couples or solo travellers.
Worker Protection: “if a booking is modified, postponed, or cancelled after a guide has been contracted, they receive their full contracted fee regardless of what happens to the booking. This directly shields local livelihoods from the market volatility that characterises inbound tourism.”
Tripseed has significantly widened the responsible business agenda – will others follow?
SILVER: Ban Nai Nang, Krabi, Thailand
At Ban Nai Nang visitors are immersed in the richness of nature, taking long-tail boat rides to admire the Garos limestone mountain, learning traditional fishing practices, and exploring the abundance of mangrove forests, protected through the collective efforts of villagers to ensure natural resources are preserved for future generations. Ban Nai Nang differs from many CBT destinations as a learning centre for natural resource management. Most of the villagers continue to preserve and pass on their local wisdom, including traditional fishing and organic farming, adding tourism revenue as an additional income stream for village households. Local stewardship has led community members to adopt legally compliant fishing practices and responsible resource management. By integrating conservation values with income-generating activities, the community now defines economic success to include ecological well-being. The initiative has also inspired neighbouring communities to adopt similar practices, expanding green areas in the region. For example, beekeeping in Ban Nai Nang centers on native species, such as cavity-nesting and stingless bees, which are vital for ecological balance. Their honey has a unique sweet and-sour flavour and contains higher levels of antioxidants, vitamins, and glucose than conventional honey. This quality allows it to command a higher market price and makes it popular in medicinal and cosmetic products. Stingless beekeeping began in the community in 1992 and more recently the importance of the mangrove forest for livelihoods and bee food has raised awareness of the importance of conserving it.
One to Watch: Sumbiling Eco Village, Brunei Darussalam
Sumbiling Eco Village offers visitors an opportunity to explore the rich diversity of flora in the Bornean tropical rainforest and learn about some of the endemic animals. The village is committed to inclusive growth, creating employment and income-generating opportunities for villagers, supporting local suppliers, and reinvest tourism income into community development. It aims to demonstrate that tourism can be a powerful tool for rural development, conservation, and long-term economic resilience. It was launched in 2008 and 2025 it hosted more than 2,000 guests employing 18 community members, including 5 boatmen and 13 staff, providing stable and fairly paid employment, and supporting 5 small-scale local traders and enterprises. It has ambitious plans for the future, and the judges hope to see a further application in a few years’ time.
NATURE POSITIVE RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AWARDS
GOLD TUI Sea the Change Bali, Indonesia
TUI Sea the Change Bali is a marine conservation and sustainable tourism initiative implemented by the TUI Care Foundation in partnership with Livingseas Foundation in Padangbai, on the east coast of Bali, Indonesia. Climate change, coral bleaching, unsustainable anchoring practices and increasing tourism pressure have degraded sections of the reef, threatening both marine biodiversity and the long-term viability of tourism in the area. Using innovative “reef star” structures, small coral fragments are attached to steel frames and placed on degraded seabeds, enabling coral regeneration and habitat recovery. These restoration sites help rebuild marine ecosystems and enhance the reef’s natural carbon sequestration capacity. An offshore floating pontoon serves as an educational and access hub for visitors. From this platform, tourists can learn about coral ecosystems, participate in reef-related educational activities and join guided snorkelling or diving experiences to the restoration site. The project also offers structured coral-planting and reef adoption experiences, enabling visitors to actively contribute to marine restoration. Rather than limiting tourism activity, the project reshapes it into active conservation participation. Visitors can adopt a coral reef star and contribute directly to reef restoration. As part of the tourism experience, visitors can travel to the offshore pontoon, learn about marine ecology and participate in building reef stars that are later installed underwater by trained conservation divers. Tourists become reef guardians and enjoy meaningful conservation experiences.
Gold: Sam Veasna Conservation Stays Cambodia
Established in 2024, Sam Veasna Conservation Stays (SVC Stays) expands the community-rooted work of its sister company, SVC Tours. The Sam Veasna Conservation model centres on community development, based on the concept of providing benefits directly linked to the protection of critically endangered species. While SVC Tours connects international markets with critical habitats – using ethical tourism to drive sustainable revenue into Cambodia’s remote landscapes – SVC Stays focuses on the ground-level development of these ecotourism ventures. Local community members are trained as cooks, guides, and service providers, while a conservation fee is garnered from each tourist for a development fund managed by the community. This fund, payable only when the target species is observed, acts as an indirect benefit to the wider community, ensuring that wildlife protection provides value beyond those directly employed in the sector. For example, at Jahoo, home to the southern yellow-cheeked crested gibbon, following strict international protocols, the project has successfully familiarized specific gibbon families with human presence without causing physiological stress or domestication. This long-term habituation allows researchers and visitors to observe complex social structures and famous “dawn duetting” at an unparalleled level of detail. Jahoo serves as a vital genetic reservoir for a species facing steep declines elsewhere. Central to this success is the deep integration with the indigenous Bunong people of Andoung Kraloeng. The name “Jahoo” itself is the Bunong word for a female gibbon, reflecting a spiritual connection that predates modern conservation efforts.
The judges were impressed by the way the organisation employs and train local residents to work alongside professional biologists and integrates scientific research into the guest experience, a repeatable blueprint. As the award application says “we aim to redefine the national standard for rural development. Our vision is to replace fragmented, fragile models with a robust, market-linked network that ensures Cambodia’s standing forests are permanently protected – and professionally managed – by the very people who call them home.”
Silver: Krâvanh La Vallée Eco Resort, Cambodia
Since opening in 2020, Krâvanh La Vallée Eco Resort has integrated high-end sustainable hospitality with active environmental stewardship. Accommodation consists of luxury tents and wood houses designed to sit lightly on the land. The master plan includes an organic farm, low-impact bungalows, and nature-based activities such as kayaking, trekking, and birdwatching. The resort offers an immersive nature experience that funds the protection of the local ecosystem while minimizing the human footprint through “low-rise” architecture and a strict “forest first” development policy, dense canopy cover has created a natural micro-climate on-site eliminating the need for high-energy air conditioning in several zones and reducing their overall carbon footprint. By establishing a 20-hectare sanctuary, it aims to protect the watershed of the Tatai Stream, which is essential for the survival of riparian wildlife. Krâvanh La Vallée Eco Resort has successfully documented Hornbills nesting on the property, alongside a vast array of rare bird species and native flora that thrive in the chemical-free environment.
One to Watch: Cempedak Private Island Bintan, Indonesia
Cempedak Private Island describes itself as “For the Curious, an adults-only private island for those seeking quiet, nature and something different. … An island for guests aged 15 and above, with vast bamboo villas, sweeping ocean views and no shoes in sight, it’s a place to slow down and sink in.” It was built with local natural materials, such as bamboo relying on open-air design rather than cooling systems, hired and trained local staff and carefully manage waste, energy and water. The footprint of the resort has been confined with the majority of the island left as intact forest to maintain habitat continuity and support native wildlife. Campedak Private Island works with local partners and researchers to monitor biodiversity, conduct reef surveys and explore long-term funding solutions for conservation. Alongside its sister Nikoi Island, it supports a long-running sea turtle conservation programme, involving nest monitoring, hatchling protection and data collection and the East Bintan Marine Protected Area. A privately owned island provides the opportunity for species restoration and increasing biodiversity the judges would like to see a further application with evidence of nature positive impact as it develops.
One to Watch: BISU Association of Travel and Tourism Students, Philippines
The Association of Tourism and Travel Students (ATTS) of Bohol Island State University is in the Philippines’ first UNESCO Global Geopark. Aligned with the university’s core values of “benevolence, integrity, stewardship, and uprightness”, ATTS integrates these guiding principles into its programs, initiatives, and organizational culture. Benevolence is demonstrated through outreach activities, environmental campaigns, and community-based tourism support intended to uplift local communities. Integrity is upheld by promoting ethical tourism practices and responsible behaviour among future tourism professionals. Stewardship is central to ATTS’s mission, as members actively participate in conservation efforts, sustainability education, and advocacy initiatives that reinforce the protection of Bohol’s geopark sites. Uprightness is reflected in the organisation’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and leadership grounded in moral responsibility. ATTS participates in the Annual Coastal Clean-Up. The judges were pleased to see this student-driven approach designed to transforms students from passive learners into active agents of change. The judges hope to see a further application when more has been achieved.
REGENERATIVE RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AWARD
One to Watch: TUI Forest, Borneo
TUI Forest Borneo in partnership with Friends of Nature People and Forests (FNPF) is planting 200,000 trees solely from native local species in an area covering 125 hectares. The habitat of at least eight endangered species will be protected, including the orangutan, proboscis monkey and the Malayan sun bear. The creation of 100 jobs for local people provides local employment, with training to handle all the steps in a reforestation process from seedling preparation, nursery management, land preparation and planting to monitoring and post-planting care. 800 volunteers and staff are involved in restoration activities, including tree planting, maintenance, and monitoring. Future priorities for TUI Forest Borneo include expanding restoration of degraded wetland and forest areas, strengthening community-led nurseries for native species, increasing local employment linked to conservation activities and developing responsible nature-based tourism experiences that allow visitors to engage directly in conservation, environmental learning and habitat restoration. The judges hope to see this initiative in a few years’ time when it has developed into a regenerative project.
GLOBAL RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AWARDS
All the gold winners in the 2026 ICRT Southeast Asia Responsible Tourism Awards now go onto compete with regional winners from Latin America, Europe, Africa, the Indian Subcontinent and a worldwide award for other geographies. The Global Responsible Tourism Awards, sponsored by the Belize Tourism Board will be announced on 2 November 2026.
Image credit: Ravin Rau, Unsplash
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