Phuket, famed for its white sands and wilder nightlife, has again found itself at the epicentre of Asian tourism’s latest reinvention. The 2025 edition of PHIST – Phuket Hotels for Islands Sustaining Tourism has not only smashed attendance records with over 1,300 delegates but has also drawn a bold battle line: the tourism industry must stop treating sustainability as a slogan and treat it as survival.
The gathering at Angsana Laguna Phuket was a lively convergence of hoteliers, policymakers, and innovators. Over 25 sessions, with a sustainable fashion show, farm-to-table exhibits and a glittering awards ceremony, hammered home a single theme: community-led sustainability is no longer optional. For Thailand, whose visitor numbers remain sluggish, this may be the lever that saves the day.
Governor Suwannarat: four pillars, one mission
Phuket’s Governor, Sophon Suwannarat, seized the podium to remind the audience that Phuket’s strength has always been in rolling up its sleeves when the chips are down, as seen with the now-legendary Sandbox scheme during the pandemic.
“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,” he declared. He spoke of a new community park at Layan Beach designed to give residents more green space and stem illegal construction. “Laguna Phuket group also contributed to a road,” he noted pointedly – proof that partnerships between government and business can pave the way.
Heinecke: People, Nature, Business
(Left to Right) Jayne MacDougall, Executive Director, Phuket Hotels Association; William E. Heinecke, Chairman and Founder, Minor International; Sophon Suwannarat, Phuket Governor; Bernhard Bohnenberger, CEO and Co-Founder, Discover Collection; and Bjorn Courage, President, Phuket Hotels Association, at PHIST 2025 in Phuket.
If Governor Suwannarat provided the rallying cry, William E. Heinecke delivered the business gospel. The Chairman and Founder of Minor International, who oversees a staggering 640 hotels in 65 countries (including more than 30 in Thailand), reminded delegates that vision without measurable action is merely noise.
“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, graciously receiving the Green Giant Award for leadership in sustainable business.
It was a suitably theatrical moment. Heinecke, a veteran of global hospitality, didn’t just offer platitudes. He laid down a marker: sustainability must be practical, quantifiable and firmly stitched into the corporate fabric.
Thailand’s chance to reset
The larger truth, never far from the discussions, is that Thailand’s tourism industry has been treading water. Visitor numbers remain below pre-pandemic highs, and global travellers are increasingly selective. They want authenticity, not packaged platitudes.
“Thailand has a chance to reset,” argued Bill Barnett, Managing Director of C9 Hotelworks and a founding organiser of PHIST. “Community engagement and positive social outcomes have been left behind. This is the new battle ground for the industry.”
Barnett’s words carried a sting. Thailand’s traditional allure, temples, beaches, food, and famously generous hospitality are no longer enough. The modern traveller wants to see that their money uplifts local lives, protects nature, and fosters resilience.
From buzzword to business imperative
If PHIST 2025 made anything clear, it was this: sustainability has graduated from a fashionable buzzword to an absolute business imperative. The event, orchestrated by the Phuket Hotels Association, C9 Hotelworks, and Greenview, drew backing from major players including Pan Pacific Hotels, Winnow, Luxury Escapes, Tuu, QUO, and SaiYok Springs.
Far from being a polite talking shop, delegates described sessions as “hard-hitting,” with operators grilled on what they are actually doing in their communities. Fashion shows spotlighted eco-conscious designers. Farm-to-table showcases reminded everyone that sustainability starts in the soil. Awards celebrated those who are turning rhetoric into results.
Why it matters
Tourism sustains whole economies in Asia, but it also creates vulnerabilities, overcrowding, fragile ecosystems under strain, and communities struggling with inequality. The PHIST 2025 message was unambiguous: the industry risks collapse if hotels and tourism operators don’t lift their host communities with them.
By encouraging authentic community partnerships, Phuket is positioning itself as a laboratory for the future of Asian tourism. Done right, the ripple effects could extend far beyond Thailand.
The bottom line
With record attendance, heavyweight speakers, and a sharper-than-ever focus, PHIST 2025 was a watershed moment. The collective message? The era of one-sided tourism is over. Hotels cannot thrive if the villages beside them fall behind.
As Heinecke put it, success rests on People, Nature, and Responsible Business. Or, as Barnett underscored, “community engagement” is the battlefield on which the next generation of tourism will be won or lost.
Phuket and Thailand face a steep challenge, but the opportunity to lead Asia’s sustainable tourism revolution has never been clearer.
For more on PHIST 2025, visit phist.phukethotelsassociation.com.
By Kanda Limw
