Hotels and tourism operators need to engage with local communities to enrich travel and tourism programmes and meet the changing preferences of travellers in order to drive visitor dwindling numbers and reboot Thailand’s flagging tourism industry, delegates heard.

Held at the Angsana Laguna Phuket resort, the 8th edition of Phuket Hotels for Islands Sustaining Tourism (PHIST) brought together hoteliers, policy makers and innovators for more than 25 hard-hitting sessions, alongside a sustainable fashion show, farm-to-table showcase and awards recognizing best practices.

In Phuket, the public and private sectors have collaborated very successfully in the past, such as with the Sandbox initiative establishing Phuket as the international entry point into 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 resort planning.

“Local power and lasting progress can be achieved if we focus on four key areas – green spaces, infrastructure, sustainability, and the move towards a Phuket Special Administrative Zone here. For example, a new community park at Layan Beach will be created to increase green space and help curb illegal construction,” he said. “Laguna Phuket group also contributed for a road.” William E. Heinecke, Chairman and Founder of Minor International, which operates 640 hotels in 65 countries, including more than 30 in Thailand, urged the private sector to deliver measurable results.

“Our framework at Minor is built on three pillars – People, Nature and Responsible Business. By 2030 we aim to support 3 million people through workforce development and community engagement,” he said, as he accepted the Green Giant Award for his leadership in sustainable business.

The bigger picture is that Thailand’s tourism industry is flagging and needs to pivot to re-energise its offering across the world.

“Thailand has a chance to reset,” said Mr. Bill Barnett, Managing Director of C9 Hotelworks and founding organiser of the event. “Community engagement and positive social outcomes have been left behind. This is the new battle ground for the industry.”

Organized by the Phuket Hotels Association, C9 Hotelworks and Greenview, PHIST 2025 underscored how sustainability has shifted from buzzword to business imperative in Asian tourism. With record attendance and a sharper focus on community impact, 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 hospitality brands.

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