Phuket, Thailand, September 2, 2025 / TRAVELINDEX / Asia's largest sustainability tourism event, PHIST 2025, broke records today with over 1,300 delegates from across the region. Government and business leaders urged the hotel industry to act quickly and integrate community-oriented sustainability into travel and tourism experiences to attract a new generation of visitors.

Hotels and tourism companies must engage with local communities to enrich travel and tourism programs and cater to changing traveler preferences in order to boost declining visitor numbers and revive Thailand's struggling tourism industry, delegates said.

The 8th edition of Phuket Hotels for Islands Sustaining Tourism (PHIST) took place at the Angsana Laguna Phuket Resort, bringing together hoteliers, policymakers and innovators for more than 25 intensive sessions, accompanied by a fashion show for sustainable products, a presentation of farm-direct products and the awarding of prizes for best practices.

In Phuket, the public and private sectors have worked together very successfully in the past, for example on the Sandbox initiative, which made Phuket the international gateway to Thailand during the Covid pandemic, and the industry is urging them to do so again.

Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat used his keynote address to call for stronger local governance and sustainable urban and resort planning.

“Local strength and sustainable progress can be achieved by focusing on four core areas: green spaces, infrastructure, sustainability, and the development towards Phuket’s status as a Special Administrative Region. For example, a new community park will be created at Layan Beach to increase green spaces and curb illegal construction,” he said. “The Laguna Phuket Group has also contributed to the construction of a road.” William E. Heinecke, Chairman and Founder of Minor International, a company with 640 hotels in 65 countries, including more than 30 in Thailand, called on the private sector to deliver measurable results.

“Our framework at Minor is based on three pillars – people, nature and responsible business practices. By 2030, we want to support 3 million people through personnel development and social engagement,” he said upon receiving the Green Giant Award for his leadership role in sustainable business practices.

The overall picture shows that Thailand's tourism industry is weak and needs to realign itself in order to revive its offerings worldwide.

“Thailand has a chance for a fresh start,” said Bill Barnett, CEO of C9 Hotelworks and founder of the event. “Community engagement and positive social impact have been neglected. This is the new battleground for the industry.”

Organized by the Phuket Hotels Association, C9 Hotelworks, and Greenview, PHIST 2025 highlighted how sustainability in Asian tourism has evolved from a buzzword to a business necessity. With record attendance and a stronger focus on the impact on local communities, the message was clear: hotels can no longer thrive without helping their host communities do the same.

PHIST 2025 is proudly supported by Pan Pacific Hotels, Winnow, Luxury Escapes, Tuu, Delivering Asia, QUO, SaiYok Springs and many of the region's most forward-thinking hotel brands.