Luang Prabang Scores Silver for Sustainable Tourism 2025–2027 – Laotian Times

Report on Luang Prabang’s Sustainable Tourism Certification and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

The city of Luang Prabang, Laos, has been awarded the Green Destinations Silver certification for the period 2025–2027, signifying a major achievement in sustainable tourism. This recognition underscores the city’s commitment to practices that align with key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). The award positions Luang Prabang as a regional leader in balancing tourism development with environmental and cultural preservation.

Certification Details and Evaluation

• Award: Green Destinations Silver Certification (2025–2027)
• Awarding Body: Green Destinations, an organization accredited by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).
• Presentation: The award was accepted at the Sustainable Destinations Forum 2025 in Dubai.
• Evaluation Process: Luang Prabang underwent a comprehensive assessment, including the submission of data for over 100 sub-indicators and on-site audits by the Green Destinations team.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   The certification directly reflects progress toward Target 11.4, which aims to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.

   • Heritage Protection: Efforts to protect the city’s World Heritage values were a key factor in the evaluation.
   • Community Involvement: The city was praised for community-based tourism programs that ensure local residents are active participants and beneficiaries.

2. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

   Luang Prabang’s approach to tourism management demonstrates a commitment to sustainable consumption and production patterns, in line with Target 12.b to develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism.

   • Environmental Management: The city was recognized for maintaining a clean environment.
   • Waste Management: Effective waste management systems were highlighted as a significant achievement.

3. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   The city’s tourism model contributes to Target 8.9, which seeks to devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products.

   • Economic Contribution: Tourism generated substantial revenue, supporting local economic growth.
   • Cultural Preservation: Community-based programs ensure that economic benefits are linked to the preservation of local culture.

Economic and Tourism Impact (First 7 Months of 2025)

• Visitor Arrivals: 2,155,994
• Year-on-Year Growth: An increase of 983,483 tourists compared to the same period in the previous year.
• Revenue Generation: LAK 1,108 billion (approximately USD 52.76 million).

Future Objectives and Regional Significance

• Next Target: Luang Prabang authorities have stated their objective is to achieve Gold Level certification in 2026.
• Regional Benchmark: Luang Prabang is the first city in Laos, and among its neighbors Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam, to achieve this distinction, setting a new standard for sustainable tourism development in the region.

1. SDGs Addressed or Connected

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The article highlights sustainable tourism as a key driver for economic growth in Luang Prabang. It mentions significant revenue generation and benefits for local communities, which aligns with promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The core of the article is about Luang Prabang, a city, achieving a sustainability certification. It explicitly mentions efforts to protect cultural heritage (“World Heritage values”), maintain a “clean environment,” and implement “effective waste management,” all of which are central to making cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  The “Green Destinations Silver certification” is a mechanism to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns within the tourism industry. The article’s focus on “sustainable tourism” and the rigorous evaluation process it underwent directly relates to promoting resource efficiency and sustainable practices.

2. Specific Targets Identified

1. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.9: “By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products.” The article is entirely focused on Luang Prabang’s success in sustainable tourism. It mentions “community-based tourism programs that preserve culture” and tourism that “benefits local communities,” which directly corresponds to this target.

2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • Target 11.4: “Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.” The article explicitly states that the city’s recognition highlights its “efforts to protect its World Heritage values” and its programs that “preserve culture.”
   • Target 11.6: “By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.” The article praises Luang Prabang for its “clean environment” and “effective waste management,” indicating progress towards this target.

3. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

   • Target 12.b: “Develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism…” The article describes the “Green Destinations” certification as a tool for this purpose. The city’s qualification involved a “rigorous evaluation process” and the submission of “data for over 100 sub-indicators,” which is a clear example of implementing a monitoring tool for sustainable tourism.

3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied

1. Indicators for SDG 8 (Target 8.9)

   • Tourism Revenue: The article provides a direct quantitative indicator of tourism’s economic contribution by stating the province “generated LAK 1,108 billion (approximately USD 52.76 million) in revenue” in the first seven months of 2025.
   • Number of Visitors: The article mentions that Luang Prabang “welcomed 2,155,994 visitors” in the same period, serving as an indicator of the scale of the tourism industry.
   • Community Involvement: The mention of “community-based tourism programs” and programs that “actively involve residents” is a qualitative indicator of inclusive and sustainable tourism policies.

2. Indicators for SDG 11 (Targets 11.4 & 11.6)

   • Heritage Protection Certification: The “Green Destinations Silver certification” itself acts as a key indicator of the city’s successful efforts to protect its cultural and natural heritage, as this was part of the evaluation criteria.
   • Waste Management Systems: The praise for “effective waste management” implies the existence and successful operation of systems to manage municipal waste, which is a qualitative indicator for Target 11.6.

3. Indicators for SDG 12 (Target 12.b)

   • Implementation of a Sustainability Standard: The achievement of the “Green Destinations Silver certification” is a direct indicator that a sustainable tourism monitoring standard has been implemented.
   • Number of Sustainability Criteria Met: The article implies a detailed measurement framework by stating that the city submitted data for “over 100 sub-indicators” which were reviewed by an audit team. This represents a comprehensive set of indicators used to measure sustainability.

4. Summary Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: laotiantimes.com