For many professionals across the travel and tourism sector, GSTC Global Sustainable Tourism Conferences are among the key international events dedicated to advancing sustainability in tourism. As these conferences continue to bring together destination leaders, tourism businesses, policymakers, academics, and other stakeholders from around the world, GSTC also continues working to strengthen the sustainability practices of the events in line with the GSTC MICE Standard. This includes measures related to greenhouse gas reduction and offsetting, support for local communities, and contributions to biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration, helping reinforce a more positive legacy in the host destination.
“It’s inspiring to see GSTC leading the way towards regenerative travel and events by integrating local restoration into its Global Conference event. The impact this event had in Fiji in 2025 was very meaningful for the local community in Fiji where those trees have been planted, and we’re thrilled to be working together to bring similar benefits for climate, nature and local communities into the 2026 event in Phuket, Thailand.” Said Daniel Walsh, CEO, Reforest
Reforest at GSTC2025 Fiji
Building on the experience of GSTC2025 Fiji, GSTC is pleased to continue its collaboration with Reforest for GSTC2026 Phuket, reinforcing a shared commitment to leaving a more positive legacy for climate, nature, and local communities.
The GSTC2025 Global Sustainable Tourism Conference took place in Fiji from 5 to 8 August 2025, bringing together 350 delegates from more than 40 countries to discuss key challenges and solutions in advancing sustainable tourism practices. A range of sustainable event practices was implemented in Fiji, including minimizing printing, reducing paper and plastic use to a minimum, using badges made of recyclable paper, eliminating single-use plastic during the conference, and serving meals made from locally sourced produce that were mostly vegetarian.
Reforest, an Australian social enterprise dedicated to helping travel and events leave destinations better for the climate, nature, and local communities, served as a sustainability partner for GSTC2025 Fiji. Reforest planted one tree on behalf of every attendee of the GSTC2025 Global Conference, in partnership with Conservation International, through a local reforestation project in the Ra Province on the island of Viti Levu, Fiji. Each tree contributes to removing CO₂ from the atmosphere, restoring degraded landscapes for wildlife, and supporting sustainable livelihood opportunities for nearby villages.
Continuing the Collaboration at GSTC2026 Phuket
GSTC is now pleased to continue this work with Reforest for GSTC2026 Phuket, which will take place in Phuket, Thailand, from 21 to 24 April 2026. The conference will once again bring together sustainability leaders, tourism professionals, and industry stakeholders from around the world for discussions, training, and networking opportunities to advance sustainability practices across the travel and tourism sector.
Reforest will plant one tree for each event attendee, as done in the past conference. Daniel Walsh, CEO of Reforest, will also be present at the event and will share this year’s collaboration with attendees at the Royal Grand Ballroom on April 23.
Ahead of the conference, there will also be a range of pre-conference activities, including the 4th GSTC Academic Symposium on 21 April 2026 and several onsite training opportunities in Phuket on 19 to 20 April 2026. These conference addons reflect the continued emphasis of GSTC Conferences on practical learning, knowledge exchange, and cross-sector collaboration.
GSTC Dashboard on Reforest
To help make these efforts easier to understand and follow, GSTC also has a dedicated dashboard on the Reforest platform. The dashboard serves as a digital space where campaigns connected to GSTC’s collaboration with Reforest can be viewed in one place, helping make these sustainability efforts more visible and transparent. Through this dashboard, the information is presented more clearly, offering greater insight into the impact of this collaboration.
By continuing its partnership with Reforest from Fiji to Phuket, GSTC aims to further strengthen the legacy of its global gatherings.
