PHUKET, 21 July 2023: Phuket Hotels for Islands Sustaining Tourism (PHIST 6), Southeast Asia’s sustainability event for travel and hospitality, is back this September with a full-day forum headlined by one of the region’s most inspiring leaders: KP Ho, the founder of Banyan Tree Group and pioneer of Laguna Phuket.
He will be joined by community advocate, artist and “maximalist” hotel designer Bill Bensley, who PHIST organiser Bill Barnett will interview. David Johnson of Delivering Asia Communications will interview KP Ho.
Organised by Phuket Hotels Association, C9 Hotelworks, and Greenview, PHIST edition 6 will be staged on 4 September 2023 at SAii Laguna Phuket. The event should return to full capacity with approximately 1,000 travel and hospitality professionals gathering for a one-of-a-kind learning opportunity from across Asia Pacific.
KP Ho, a former journalist turned hotelier, understood the critical importance of sustainability before it became a buzzword. Having founded Banyan Tree, he was instrumental in transforming Laguna Phuket from a barren moonscape of scarred land – abandoned by the tin mining industry and declared uninhabitable by the UN – into Southeast Asia’s leading integrated resort development.
It set the stage for the first luxurious and eco-sensitive Banyan Tree resort in 1994, featuring the world’s first pool villas. The company has expanded to over 100 hotels and resorts, operating or in the pipeline. The Banyan Tree Global Foundation has also been set up to support conservation and community development.
Bill Bensley has for 30 years designed many of the most outstanding hotels in Asia, winning a small armoury of world-leading awards and accolades for the deep respect paid to their environments and purpose-driven nature. Like KP, he will share his personal story and philosophy with just 100 guests at each session. Registration is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
In addition, guests can look forward to plenty of learning opportunities. A series of 16 workshops will see industry experts share best practices on key and emerging green topics, including waste, renewables, certification, women leaders in sustainability and glamping.
A “Green Think Tank” roundtable discussion will be led by Jesper Palmqvist, STR Global’s Area Director for Asia Pacific, with representatives from islands including Bohol, Bali, Koh Samui, Phuket, Phu Quoc, Singapore and the Maldives. At the same time, an “Eco Travel Show” will showcase eco-friendly products from exhibitors specialising in outdoor activities such as glamping. A “Farm-to-Table” workshop will let guests learn about the origins of food with two Michelin-starred restaurants in Phuket, and the “Women in Leadership” session will highlight the issue of gender equality.
Phuket Hotels Association executive director Jayne MacDougall said: “We are delighted to announce the return of PHIST, Southeast Asia’s biggest sustainability event, for its sixth annual edition. This year, we’re back with a bang as we prepare to welcome 1,000 guests for a full-day itinerary that will shake up the industry, challenge traditional ideas and put learning centre stage. We are also excited to welcome KP Ho back to Phuket. As the man who did so much to stimulate the island’s tourism sector and advance the cause of sustainability, he is the perfect person to inspire our delegates. We look forward to seeing everyone at PHIST this September.”
Sponsors for PHIST 6 include New Capital Energy Asia, Central CPN, Blue Tree, XCO2, Banyan Tree Phuket and SAii Laguna Phuket, with beverages provided by Greenery Water, JCD Coffee and FullMoon Brewery.
For more information about PHIST 6, visit phist.phukethotelsassociation.com. To register visit: www.eventbrite.com/e/phist-6-phuket-hotels-island-sustaining-tourism-tickets-644279787187
