The 2024 EXO Foundation Sustainability Awards proudly celebrates the remarkable achievements of this year’s winners in the ‘People’ category.
Tourism, when thoughtfully managed, holds transformative power, not only for travellers but for local communities and their cultural heritage.
In recent years, a growing number of initiatives across Asia have increasingly leveraged tourism as a tool for socio-economic growth, empowering communities while preserving and honouring their unique cultural legacies.
We are proud to honour this year’s award winners in the ‘People’ category. Selected by a panel of industry experts, they exemplify a commitment to empowering communities and protecting cultural heritage.
‘It is truly inspiring to see so many dedicated individuals and projects working tirelessly for positive change in our communities’, remarks Charlotte Piffard, EXO Foundation Leader. ‘These initiatives and companies demonstrate that responsible tourism is not just an aspiration, but a powerful reality in driving community growth.’
Read on to learn about the winners and the incredible work they are doing.
Winners: People- Non Profit
Think Playgrounds (TPG)is a social enterprise transforming public spaces across Vietnam to promote children’s right to play.
Partnering with communities, TPG has built 260 eco-friendly playgrounds, Vietnam’s first adventure playground and nearly 20 inclusive spaces for people with disabilities. By reinvesting profits, TPG enhances public playgrounds, fostering community engagement and sustainable, accessible green spaces nationwide.
Rescue P.A.W.S. in Thailand’s Prachuap Khiri Khan province addresses animal overpopulation and fosters community harmony through sterilisation, vaccination and education.
By supporting stray animals and vulnerable communities, they promote the WHO’s One Health concept. Their efforts have reduced stray populations, improved animal health and shifted attitudes towards responsible pet ownership.
École d’Hôtellerie et de Tourisme Paul Dubrule in Siem Reap empowers young Cambodians with professional education in hospitality.
The school offers training in various hospitality skills and a diploma in hotel management to 250 students each year, 30% of whom receive full scholarships. Supported by over 100 industry partners, students also gain hands-on experience and participate in initiatives that enhance their skills and career prospects.
The Thailand Clean Air Network (Thailand CAN), founded six years ago, is a nonprofit think tank tackling air pollution through interdisciplinary collaboration.
By uniting academic expertise, community action, and partnerships with policymakers and businesses, Thailand CAN advances solutions, including drafting Thailand’s first citizen-led Clean Air Act, now under parliamentary review, to improve air quality nationwide.
Winners: People- Tourism Company
Fuze Ecoteer Outdoor Adventures, a social enterprise and registered Malaysian tour operator, empowers communities and promotes cultural heritage through conservation.
Operating in Malaysia’s Perhentian Islands and Kuala Lumpur’s Lembah Subang, they fund projects via voluntourism, CSR and corporate team-building. Their initiatives include marine conservation, turtle protection, river cleanups and employing local residents in recycling.
Nestled in Ha Giang’s mountainous region in northern Vietnam, Meo Vac Lodge is a community-centred eco-lodge dedicated to preserving local culture and supporting ethnic minority communities. The Lodge is a beautifully restored ancestral Hmong house that reflects the architectural traditions of the region.
The lodge provides important income opportunities for local families, promotes traditional crafts and fosters cultural exchange, helping preserve the rich heritage of the region while empowering its residents.
Located in Battambang, Cambodia, Maison Wat Kor enhances local heritage and community well-being through eco-friendly practices.
The lodge employs and trains locals, sources materials from nearby farmers and artisans, and reduces plastic waste, directly supporting the local economy. Initiatives like the ‘Arts Street’ project further preserve cultural traditions, showcasing regional artists and fostering sustainable community growth.
Founded in 2000 in Luang Prabang, Laos, Ock Pop Tok is a women-led social enterprise preserving Lao textile traditions through ethical practices and cultural exchange.
Employing 50 master weavers and working with over 500 artisans across 14 provinces, Ock Pop Tok empowers women by transforming weaving into a sustainable livelihood while promoting a unique blend of tradition and innovation worldwide.
EXO Foundation, the non-profit arm of EXO Travel, operates across a growing number of countries, fostering sustainable development through responsible tourism. By supporting local grassroots initiatives, the Foundation aims to drive positive societal and environmental changes, maximising tourism’s potential as a tool for poverty alleviation and promoting good practices across the travel industry.
The EXO Foundation’s annual Sustainability Awards celebrates organisations—both non-profits and tourism companies—that are pioneering scalable solutions to some of the most pressing challenges in our destinations. Expert judges evaluate each of the applicants and prizes are awarded to recognise and support their efforts. Read about the 2024 winners in the Planet category by clicking here.
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