Shan State’s Taunggyi, Kayah State’s Loikaw and Tanintharyi Region’s Dawei will receive the Asean Clean Tourist City Standard award, which recognizes the cleanest, greenest cities in Southeast Asia.
Asean’s cities are assessed on seven criteria: environmental management; cleanliness; waste management; awareness-building about environmental protection and cleanliness; green spaces; health and safety, and urban safety and security; and tourism infrastructure.

The three state and regional capitals are seeing growing numbers of domestic and foreign visitors and were chosen along with other Asean cities.

Tanintharyi Region won another award for sustainable tourism under the urban destination category for Myeik. Myaing in Magwe Region won the same award under the rural destination category, according to the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism.

Daw Thida Aung, assistant director from the ministry, said representatives from the ministry and the cities would attend the award ceremony on Jan. 16 at the Asean tourism forum in Brunei. The award is valid for three years.

In 2018, Shan State’s Kalaw and Mandalay Region’s Bagan and Pyin Oo Lwin won the Asean Clean Tourist City Standard.