The renowned Mamallapuram or Mahabalipuram, known for its UNESCO World Heritage site, is set to become India’s first Green Destination.
The final award for Mamallapuram will be formally announced and presented after an audit in a couple of months. This will make it the first World Heritage Site in the Asia Pacific region to achieve this benchmark, as stated by an official on Saturday.
Green Destinations, based in The Netherlands, is a Global Sustainable Tourism Council accredited certification body that supports sustainable destinations, their businesses, and their communities. So far, 122 destinations in the world have been awarded the certification by Global Destinations.
The certification project of Mamallapuram was fully financed by MAMAT Trust under Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham as part of their efforts to honor Indian culture and heritage.