Nami Island Achieves Outstanding Recognition at the 2025 Skål International Sustainable Tourism Awards
Cusco, Peru, September 28, 2025 / TRAVELINDEX / On the 26th, Nami Island achieved outstanding results at The 2025 Skål International Sustainable Tourism Awards, hosted by Skål International, a leading international organization in the global tourism industry, and was recognized internationally for its value. The awards ceremony was held at the opening session of the 84th Skål International World Congress in Cusco, Peru.
This year’s awards were announced on September 26, one day ahead of World Tourism Day (September 27), established by UN Tourism. The 2025 World Tourism Day theme, “Tourism and Sustainable Transformation”, added even greater significance to Nami Island’s achievement.
Among 106 entries from 30 countries across eight categories, Nami Island was honored with 4th place globally in the “Accessible Tourism” category, marking the island as Korea’s only awardee this year.
Founded in Paris in 1934 and now headquartered in Torremolinos, Spain, Skål International is one of the oldest global tourism organizations and an official affiliate of UN Tourism. With more than 12,000 members across airlines, hotels, travel agencies, resorts, MICE, tourism boards, and media, Skål operates through 297 clubs in 85 countries. Its Sustainable Tourism Awards are considered among the most prestigious recognitions in the international tourism industry, honoring innovative projects that demonstrate environmental, social, and cultural sustainability.
Nami Island was recognized as an “Island of Life” where nature and culture coexist, an open and inclusive island for all, and a sustainable destination engaging with local communities while protecting the environment. The judging panel highlighted:
- Creative transformation of tourism resources
- Eco-friendly design minimizing environmental disruption
- Comprehensive sustainability initiatives, including environmental education
- Pollution reduction and waste management systems
- Strong community involvement through local sourcing and hiring
Particularly notable were Nami Island’s systematic waste management, upcycling initiatives that go beyond recycling, and measures to prevent noise and light pollution—practical actions that contributed to high evaluations.
Over the decades, Nami Island has restored its natural ecosystem and cultivated the entire island as a living garden. Beyond preserving nature, it provides educational value by offering visitors opportunities to experience and learn the importance of the environment firsthand. Eco-friendly transportation methods within the island reduce noise and carbon emissions, while unique approaches such as the zip-wire minimize environmental impact, earning further praise.
Long dedicated to water preservation, chemical reduction, and pollution minimization, Nami Island has become a model of sustainable tourism. Its creative reuse of waste as art and tourism resources has been recognized as an exemplary practice of upcycling.
Nami Island previously won the Skål Asia Environment Award 2018 at the 47th Skål Asia Area Congress in Macau, recognized for its 4R principles—Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Recovery—and eco-friendly cultural management. This year’s honor reaffirms the island’s long-standing commitment to sustainability on the global stage.
In addition, Nami Island’s strong community partnership was acknowledged. By prioritizing local products, employing local residents, and fostering shared growth, the island has built a model of sustainable tourism that goes beyond operating a destination to advancing regional prosperity.
A Nami Island representative stated:
“It is deeply meaningful for Nami Island’s sustainable tourism practices and commitment to inclusive travel to be recognized on the global stage by Skål International. We will continue to grow as an island where nature and culture coexist, and as a destination open to everyone.”