Tuesday, June 4, 2024 Mamallapuram earns Green Destination title, achieving a pivotal sustainability milestone as Asia Pacific’s first certified World Heritage Site. Mamallapuram, a renowned UNESCO World Heritage Site located along the Bay of Bengal near Chennai, has recently earned the title of a ‘Green Destination’. Following a year-long process involving thorough data collection and documentation, Mamallapuram has been successfully integrated into the awards and certification program overseen by ‘Green Destinations’.
This organization, situated in The Netherlands, is recognized by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and is known for offering the most prestigious and cost-effective certifications, having certified 122 destinations worldwide to date. Marking a significant milestone, Mamallapuram is the inaugural ‘Green Destination’ in India and the first World Heritage Site in the Asia Pacific to receive such a sustainability certification. The destination has completed its sustainability assessments and achieved a Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) destination score of 65%.
The formal announcement of Mamallapuram’s final award level is anticipated in the upcoming months following a detailed audit. The certification efforts in Mamallapuram were fully sponsored by the MAMAT Trust, under the auspices of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, in an endeavor to celebrate and promote Indian culture and heritage. This initiative is part of a larger project named �.
