Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, Sri Lanka’s premier hospitality brand, has been honoured with the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Award 2025 in the category of Best Ecosystem & Wildlife Conservation initiative for its groundbreaking Cinnamon Rainforest Restoration Project.  

The PATA Gold Awards, now in their 41st year, remain the most prestigious accolades in the Asia Pacific travel and tourism industry, celebrating organisations that lead with purpose, innovate with impact, and contribute meaningfully to sustainable tourism development. 

“This recognition from PATA affirms that true hospitality is inseparable from environmental responsibility,” said Hishan Singhawansa, CEO of Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts. “The Cinnamon Rainforest Restoration Project aligns with our broader ambition to sustain the environment we operate in, restoring ecosystems, empowering communities, and shaping a more conscious way of travel.”

Initiated in 2022, the Cinnamon Rainforest Restoration Project represents a transformative approach to ecosystem rehabilitation. Spanning 59 acres in Suduwelipotha within Sri Lanka’s biodiversity-rich wet zone, the project has evolved from degraded land into a thriving sanctuary for endemic and endangered species. 

This project demonstrates the role of the private sector as a catalyst to form a multi-agency partnership to achieve a common conservation goal. Partners of the project include the Forest Department of Sri Lanka, a government agency that provided the state land for this project, and the local NGO ‘Ruk Rekaganno’ (the Tree Society), which is responsible for all field implementations. Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts, in collaboration with the John Keells Foundation, is providing total project sponsorship. In addition to financial assistance, the project receives scientific support from the ecologists at Cinnamon Nature Trails. 

The project’s remarkable transformation highlights a thriving ecosystem that supports 251 species of fauna, including 54 endemic species and 43 that face national threats. Since its inception, 22,797 native trees have been planted, with an exceptional 85-90% survival rate. Additionally, 36 new plant species have been recorded, including the successful reintroduction of Pini Beraliya (Doona ovalifolia), an endemic tree previously listed as extinct in the wild.  

Beyond its environmental impact, the project empowers 15 local families through direct employment, and they also serve as local guardians of the project. Volunteer engagement is a key element of the project. Volunteerism aims to connect as many employees of the company as possible, as well as attract outside interest groups/institutions/schools, and other organisations. Due to the project’s success, many institutions are visiting the site for volunteer activities, including site clearances and planting. So far, 1,208 volunteers have participated in planting trees and to learn about forest restoration. 

The Cinnamon Rainforest Restoration Project was selected from over 100 entries submitted by 45 organisations across the Asia Pacific region. The independent judging panel, comprising 25 industry leaders, recognised the project’s innovative approach to conservation and its measurable impact on biodiversity restoration. 

“The winning initiatives of the PATA Gold Awards are a breath of fresh air for the tourism industry,” noted Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office. “It is energising to see the new approaches and commitment displayed by the awardees in sustainability and social responsibility.”  

This award adds to Cinnamon’s growing collection of sustainability accolades, including the ACCA Sustainability Reporting Award for three consecutive years and the Best Project Sustainability Award at the 2024 Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability Awards. The recognition reinforces Cinnamon’s position as a leader in responsible tourism, demonstrating that environmental conservation is integral to delivering world-class hospitality experiences.  

The project actively supports Cinnamon’s ambitious sustainability goals for 2030. These goals include developing biodiversity conservation plans for each property that hosts Red List species, planting 10,000 trees to increase forest cover, and reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 30%. 

Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts will be formally recognised at the PATA Travel Mart 2025 on August 27 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre in Bangkok, Thailand. The PATA committee will showcase the winning initiatives in a special presentation and include them in the 2025 PATA Gold Awards publication.
The Cinnamon Rainforest Restoration Project goes beyond traditional conservation efforts. Monthly engagement with local communities, scientific assessments by independent ecologists, and partnerships with organisations ensure the project’s long-term sustainability and scientific rigour. The project has become a model for how hospitality brands can actively contribute to ecosystem restoration while creating meaningful community impact.

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