Sustainable Tourism

First place: National Center for Traditional Arts - PX Mart’s Sunmake Cultures Foundation

Competition theme: Preserving and promoting local culture and heritage to foster a sense of place

Award record：

3rd place winner of the Green Destinations Top 100 Story Awards at ITB Berlin 2025 in the “Culture and Tradition” category

To preserve the traditional rattan-weaving craft and cultural significance of the “citrus turtle,” used as a ceremonial offering during the Lantern Festival at Jiaoxi’s Sie Tian Temple in Yilan, the National Center for Traditional Arts has brought together experts to document its history. Master artisans have been invited to recreate the citrus turtle, helping to ensure the continuation of this unique temple tradition. The citrus turtle will be showcased at various locations, including retail stores, the Wenchang Temple, and schools. The public is also invited to participate in the symbolic ritual of asking the turtle to share the blessing of the citrus, fostering a meaningful cycle of cultural preservation and community engagement.

Second place: The Easy Space

Competition theme: Reducing energy use and carbon emissions

Letting Continuous Records Become the Foundation of Progress

Located in the coastal village of Mao’ao, The Easy Space initially used high-power-consuming equipment. However, the area’s harsh sea winds and northeast monsoons caused rapid equipment corrosion, leading to high maintenance and replacement costs. Furthermore, the remote location limited access to repair services and resources. In 2016, The Easy Space launched a “Save Energy, Reduce Carbon” program that gradually replaced its most power-hungry equipment with energy-efficient and green alternatives. The business model also shifted to primarily whole-house rentals, reducing the average energy consumption per guest. By meticulously recording data and conducting ongoing analyses, The Easy Space has continually refined its sustainability strategy based on measurable energy-saving results. From 2016 to 2023, Taiwan’s average electricity rates rose by 22.23% per unit, but The Easy Space was able to successfully reduce its average electricity costs by 36.65% during July and August of 2023 compared to the same period in 2016. On an annual basis, the 2023 average cost was 31.62% lower than in 2016.

Second place: Yilan County Toucheng Town Port Community

Competition theme: Preserving and promoting local culture and heritage to foster a sense of place

To preserve the traditional beach seine net fishing method and cultural heritage of Toucheng’s Port Community, and to raise public awareness for marine environmental protection, the Yilan County Toucheng Port Community has launched a sustainability initiative based on United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 14 and 11. Starting with marine ecosystem conservation, the community is actively working towards sustainable development through shared local participation and hands on activities. Since 2021, the community’s beach seine net fishing events have attracted over 1,800 participants. The growing number of community volunteers has provided vital support, increasing local engagement. Hands-on experiences allow visitors to gain insight into sustainable practices and ocean-friendly lifestyles, as well as encourage them to reflect on how modern conveniences may be harming the environment. These experiences inspire actions—such as reducing plastic use and supporting traditional, sustainable fishing practices like the beach seine net.

First place: Toucheng Leisure Farm

Competition theme: Buying environmentally friendly products and services

Award record：

2nd Place Winner of the Green Destinations Top 100 Story Awards at ITB Berlin 2024 for the “Business and Marketing” category

(Photo credit: Zeng Yiwen)

The Toucheng Leisure Farm developed the “Green Kitchen” tour program to address the problem of tourists driving down service prices, which makes it difficult to consistently support local, eco-friendly agricultural and fishery products. The Green Kitchen program integrates aesthetics with sustainability and uses immersive dining experiences to provide visitors with insights into the farm’s circular agriculture practices, Toucheng’s eco-friendly farming and sustainable fishing industry, and local rural culture and marine conservation topics. The hope is to encourage visitors to actively participate in various environmental protection efforts. From 2021 to 2023, over 50 domestic and international community groups, NGOs, and government agencies visited the Toucheng Leisure Farm to observe and learn about its circular agriculture/fishery model and experience sustainable dining. In 2022, the Green Kitchen program collaborated with nearby Gengfang Fishery Harbor’s “Fishing Village Kitchen” to promote sustainable fishing methods such as rod and longline fishing.

Second place: Note Shuangxi

Competition theme: Preserving and promoting local culture and heritage to foster a sense of place

“Note Shuangxi” uses eco-friendly agricultural products and collaboration with local chefs to create the “Danlan boxed meal” that features seasonal ingredients sourced from the area. By partnering with small organic farmers, local farms, and young entrepreneurs, the program was able to develop signature local food products. Two green cycling routes were also created to encourage visitors to stay and explore Shuangxi’s cultural industry in a sustainable and immersive way. These routes connect local cultural landscapes with agricultural and culinary highlights, offering visitors a plastic-free and green experience. At least six local businesses have joined the program to support waste reduction by encouraging customers to bring their shopping bags and containers. “Note Shuangxi” also works with the Shuang-xi High School to promote food and farming education, revitalize historical Tudigong spaces, and preserve cultural heritage. These efforts are integrated into the school’s SDG curriculum, with over 400 participants involved to date.

Third place: Jiaoxi Yamagata Kaku Hotel and Spa, Forte Hotel International Management & Consulting Co., LTD., Jiaoxi Branch

Competition theme: Giving back to local communities and residents

Creative Local and Environmentally Friendly Mid-Autumn Festival Gift Box

Staying true to its brand commitment to green tourism, the Jiaoxi Yamagata Kaku Hotel and Spa actively gives back to local culture and environment by supporting small-scale, eco-friendly farmers. During the pandemic, the hotel partnered with the Mao’ao community to source jelly weed (Gelidium amansii) and collaborated with other local Taiwanese farmers to purchase lemons, honey, and dried pineapple. These ingredients were used to create the 2021 Mid-Autumn Festival gift box, which featured reduced plastic packaging. The local procurement and community benefited an estimated NT$232,206 from this program. The 2022 gift box was designed based on products from the Northeast Coast National Scenic Area, emphasizing both local sourcing and sustainable tourism concepts. The benefit to local suppliers and communities was estimated to be NT$351,820.