PHIST 2025, held on 1 September at Angsana Laguna Phuket, marked its eighth edition with a record of 1,300 delegates. The event brought together the hospitality and tourism industry to address environmental sustainability and community engagement under the theme “Ideas, Inspiration & Innovation.”
The event program featured 25 sessions, including one by Roi Ariel, GSTC’s General Manager, titled “Sustainability Certification and Eco-Labels: Proving Sustainability Commitment,” where Mr. Ariel emphasized the importance of GSTC Certification* as the most trusted benchmark for sustainability and excellence in the travel and tourism industry worldwide. With GSTC certification, tourism businesses can demonstrate their commitment to sustainable tourism through a credible, impartial, and rigorous assessment. He also highlighted GSTC’s Market Access Program, where OTAs such as Booking.com, Trip.com, Traveloka, and EasyJet holidays, among others, highlight sustainable hotels and accommodations certified by a GSTC-Accredited Certification Body.
“It was great to be at PHIST and to contribute to the discussions on sustainability in tourism and hospitality. The exchange of ideas and experiences at the event is a reminder of how collaboration can drive continuous progress in the sector,” mentioned Mr. Ariel.
In addition, Koko Tang, Founder of Colorful Earth, Co-Founder of Vinetree Tourism and GSTC Board Member, participated in the panel discussion moderated by Paul Dean, Principal, Dean & Associates, titled “Alternative Accommodations: No Walls, Glamping, Luxury Outdoor Accommodations, Unique Experiences and Off-Grid Retreats” along with colleagues: Speaker: John Roberts, Group Director of Sustainability & Conservation, Minor Hotels, Bastian Sagild, Co-Founder & CEO, Cloud Collective and Ueli Wick, CEO, Escape Nomade.
Dr. Pornthip Parinayok, Phuket Sustainable Tourism Development Foundation, also participated in the event. Her session ‘Charting Phuket’s Future: A GSTC Destination Deep Dive’ highlighted key findings from the GSTC Destination Assessment in Phuket, including current performance and opportunities for growth. She also presented new destination-focused sustainability initiatives led by the Foundation and provided updates on Green Hotel Plus, the expanding platform recognizing and supporting hotels across Thailand committed to meaningful environmental action.
The GSTC 2026 Global Sustainable Tourism Conference will take place in Phuket, Thailand, bringing together global stakeholders to advance the conversation on sustainable tourism. Express your interest in attending April 21-24, 2026, here. By signing up, you’ll receive a notification as soon as registration opens.
PHIST 2025 also included showcases on sustainable fashion and gastronomy. It was organized by the Phuket Hotels Association, C9 Hotelworks, and Greenview, and supported by Pan Pacific Hotels, Winnow, Luxury Escapes, Tuu, Delivering Asia, QUO, and SaiYok Springs.
*The term “GSTC Certification” is a shorthand for “Certified by a Certification Body that is GSTC-accredited.”
