Phuket: Elephant sanctuary wins sustainable tourism award!

Phuket: Elephant sanctuary wins sustainable tourism award!

The picturesque island of Phuket shines not only with its beaches and temples, but now also with the Phuket Elephant Nature Reserve (PENR), which recently won the title of “Tour Operator of the Year” at the TDM Travel Trade Excellence Awards 2025. This impressively shows how serious the PENR is about ethical and responsible tourism. The Travel Daily Media reports that since its founding in 2019, the sanctuary has 30 rai (approximately 12 acres) of jungle area and houses rescued elephants from riding camps, circuses and street begging.

PENR's philosophy stands out from many traditional establishments: there is no horseback riding or swimming, and no physical interactions with the gentle giants are permitted. Instead, visitors can observe the elephants in their natural behavior as they eat or interact socially. This concept is based on animal protection, education and sustainability, making PENR not only a place for recreation but also an active conservation project.

Ethical standards and awards

PENR is committed to the highest ethical standards, which can also be found in many other elephant sanctuaries in Thailand. Ethics in the elephant tourism industry means putting the animals' well-being first and avoiding exploitation. Citizen Safe describes the characteristics of such sanctuaries: Activities such as elephant rides or circus performances are taboo, the elephants live in stress-free environments and have access to high quality veterinary care.

PENR has already received several awards, including the Good Animal Practices Certification and certifications from SGS Thailand and ACES, confirming its best practices. The sanctuary has also achieved excellent visitor reviews with 4.9 out of 5 on Google, 5 out of 5 on TripAdvisor and 4.9 out of 5 on Get Your Guide. These reviews underscore PENR's importance as a global leader in ethical and sustainable wildlife tourism.

Nature and animal awareness

At a time when awareness of conservation and sustainable tourism is growing, the role of elephants in Thai ecosystems and culture is becoming increasingly important. Articles from Expat Den show that after commercial logging was banned in 1989, many elephants became unemployed and now urgently need protected space. There are currently around 3,000 to 3,700 wild elephants and 3,500 to 4,000 kept elephants living in Thailand, but their habitats are threatened by urbanization and poaching.

In addition to providing the elephants with a safe home, PENR is committed to environmental and community conservation. Single-use plastic is banned, and the sanctuary operates an elephant dung recycling center. This not only ensures the well-being of the elephants, but also the environment.

Visitors have the opportunity to experience responsible interaction where they can participate in feeding and care under supervision. However, responsible tourism also means respecting the special rules of the protected areas - from prohibiting sudden movements to refraining from uninvited feeding, the protected areas provide clear guidelines.

The Phuket Elephant Nature Reserve is not only a place to get up close and personal with elephants, but also an example of what ethical and sustainable tourism can achieve. Anyone who wants to appreciate the beauty of these gentle giants and their importance to the Thai ecosystem should definitely pay a visit to this sanctuary.