Southeast Asia Information Port (www.dnyxxg.com) – Recently, at the ASEAN Tourism Expo held in the Philippines, the Lao People's Democratic Republic won 21 ASEAN Tourism Standard Awards, a piece of good news that greatly excited the people of Champasak Province and the entire country of Laos.
The Lao awards covered four categories: ASEAN Green Hotel Standard, ASEAN Clean Tourism City Standard, ASEAN Convention and Exhibition Venue Standard, and ASEAN Sustainable Tourism Award. The ASEAN Clean Tourism City Standard Award was awarded to four cities: Kaysone Phomvihane City in Savannakhet Province, Luang Prabang City in Luang Prabang Province, Vixay District in Huaphan Province, and Pakse City in Champasak Province.
Pakse City in Champasak Province stood out, winning the ASEAN Clean City Award for 2026-2028 and seven ASEAN Green Hotel Awards, including those for Champasak Royal Palace Hotel, Pon Arena Hotel, Nagasang Paradis Hotel, De Rivière Hotel, Saen Sot Sun Hotel, Tad Phan Resort, and Thong Wai Homestay Resort. Additionally, Tad Phan Waterfall earned Pakse City an ASEAN Sustainable Tourism Award.
Ms. Phonemany Sukhatammavong, Director of the Tourism Planning and Development Department of the Lao Ministry of Tourism Development, explained that the ASEAN Tourism Standards were launched in 2018, with the ASEAN Green Hotel Standard being the first to be implemented. Currently, ASEAN has established a system of seven tourism standards plus one special award: the seven standards are the ASEAN Green Hotel Standard, the ASEAN Spa Standard, the ASEAN Clean Tourism Destination Standard, the ASEAN Affordable Tourism Standard, the ASEAN Homestay Standard, the ASEAN Public Toilet Standard, and the ASEAN Activity Venue Standard; the special award is the ASEAN Sustainable Tourism Award. These standards have been fully implemented in all ten ASEAN countries.
To date, Laos has received over 100 ASEAN tourism-related awards. In the ASEAN Clean Tourism Standards Award, Luang Prabang was the first to win in 2018, followed by Vientiane in 2020; in 2022, Luang Prabang, Pakse, and Vieng Xai district were also recognized; in 2024, Vientiane and Kaysone Phomvihane received the award; and in 2026, all four cities were again awarded the prize.
It is understood that the ASEAN Clean Tourism Standards Award criteria cover multiple dimensions, including environmental management, cleanliness, waste management, ecological protection, raising awareness of cleanliness, health and urban safety, green space area, infrastructure, and tourism support services.
