Massive Travel Rethink Tops Virtual Gathering At Asia’s Largest Sustainabile Tourism Event
PHIST (Phuket Hotels for Islands Sustaining Tourism) will break down boundaries in 2020 with a virtual version of Asia's largest sustainable travel and hospitality event. Over 1,200 of the industry's leading figures are expected to attend this socially-distant online gathering, which will include keynote addresses, interactive sessions, educational workshops and a green exhibition.
The original edition of PHIST 2020 was scheduled to take place in Phuket on 7th September, but this was before the global pandemic caused disruption to the travel landscape. In the spirit of innovation and resilience, this forward-thinking conference will now move into the digital world with a unique single day schedule.
Like the two previous editions of PHIST, the fast-paced, high-energy event will challenge the status quo and drive the agenda for environmental action. Running from 9am to 6:30pm, the free-to-join, conference will see Asia's top travel professionals come together to shake up the industry, ask difficult questions, and listen to young voices who want to change the world. By the end of the day, PHIST will have created a set of resolutions that will set Asia's tourism and hospitality industries on the path towards a brighter, cleaner future.
This year's keynote speaker is Bill Bensley, the Creative Director at BENSLEY and a rock star of hotel design. The mastermind behind many of Asia's most eclectic and eye-catching properties, Bill will discuss the subject of sustainable hotels in his own inimitable style. He will be joined by the eminent marine biologist Dr. Thamrongnawasawat, who helped to save Thailand's Maya Bay from ecological disaster, the CEOs of two leading luxury hotel groups, Neil Jacobs of Six Senses Hotels, Resorts & Spas and James Riley of Mandarin Oriental, President of the Phuket Hotels Association Anthony Lark, and many others.
The agenda will embrace the new era of travel and hospitality, in a post-COVID-19 world. Delegates will hear about the post-crisis efforts to prevent over-tourism, the dynamic shift away from mass markets, strategies to conserve natural attractions, the quantification of green travel, farm-to-fork dining, rewilding, renewable energy and more.
"This time last year, nobody could have imagined the situation we now find ourselves in. COVID-19 has turned the industry on its head, but every crisis creates opportunities and this situation could spur a revolution in sustainable travel," said PHIST co-founder Bill Barnett.
"Making PHIST a virtual event has allowed us to break down geographic barriers and actually attract a larger audience. One of the most heart-warming aspects of the lockdown was seeing how quickly the environment regenerated without people. This shows us clearly what can be achieved, and maybe it was the wake-up call the world needed. At PHIST 2020, we will see how travel industry is rising to the challenge and using green solutions to solve our manmade problems."
An immersive all-day forum, PHIST 2020 will include talks from trailblazing figures on the latest travel trends, educational masterclasses on renewable energy, post-COVID-19 hygiene, green meetings and corporate sustainability for small hotels, an interactive "Virtual Green Groove" exhibition showcasing eco products and services from tech providers, and plenty of digital networking opportunities with speakers, experts and other delegates.
PHIST 2020 is organised by the Phuket Hotels Association, Greenview and C9 Hotelworks, with support from the American Chamber of Commerce Thailand, QUO and Delivering Asia Communications. Attendance is free, including sessions, the exhibition and networking with pre-registration required.
This year, participants are also being encouraged to donate during registration to the Phuket Hotels Association's Green Planet Learning Hub initiative, which will teach environmental practices to over 5,000 Thai schoolchildren per year.
To learn more about PHIST 2020 and to register your place at this must-attend event, please visit https://phist.phukethotelsassociation.com.
About Phuket Hotels Association
The Phuket Hotels Association is a nonprofit organization comprising a broad spectrum of hotels. Our goal is to promote a well-rounded, dynamic picture of Phuket to travelers from around the world by celebrating the diversity of Phuket's natural resources and vibrant culture, while at the same time providing educational scholarships, environmental initiatives and other community-based activities to help nuture and develop Phuket's standing as one of the world's most sought-after destinations.
Phuket Hotels Association members are as follows: 9 Hornbills Tented Camp, Absolute Twin Sands Resort & Spa, Amanpuri, Amari Phuket, Amora Beach Resort Phuket, Anantara Layan Phuket Resort, Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas, Anantara Vacation Club Mai Khao Phuket, Andara Resort & Villas, Angsana Laguna Phuket, Avista Grand Phuket Karon – Mgallery, Baan Laimai, Baan Yin Dee Boutique Resort, Banyan Tree Phuket, Barceló Coconut Island, Best Western Phuket, Burasari Phuket, Cassia Phuket, Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket, COMO Point Yamu, Courtyard Marriott Phuket Town, Dewa Phuket Resort and Villas, DoubleTree by Hilton Phuket Banthai Resort, Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket, Fisherman Way Beach Resort, Four Points by Sheraton Phuket, Patong Beach, Hilton Garden Inn Phuket Bangtao, Holiday Inn Resort Phuket Patong, HOMA, Homm Bliss Southbeach Patong, Hyatt Regency Phuket Resort, InterContinental Phuket Resort, Island Escape by Burasari, JonoX Phuket Karon Hotel, JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa, Kata Rocks Resort & Residences, Keemala Phuket, Koyao Island Resort, Kudo Hotel Patong, Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort, Le Meridien Phuket Mai Khao Beach Resort, Maikhao Dream Villa Resort & Spa, Centara Boutique Collection, Mangosteen Ayurveda & Wellness Resort, Marina Gallery Resort - Kacha - Kalim Bay, Meliá Phuket Karon Residences, Meliá Phuket Mai Khao, Metadee Concept Hotel, Mövenpick Resort Bangtao Beach Phuket, M SOCIAL Hotel Phuket, My Beach Hotel, NH Boat Lagoon Resort, Noku Phuket, Nonnee Kata Beach Phuket, Novotel Phuket Kamala Beach, Outrigger Surin Beach Resort, Paresa Resort, Phuket Graceland Resort & Spa, Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa, Merlin Beach, Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa, Nai Yang Beach, Pullman Phuket Arcadia Karon Beach Resort, Pullman Phuket Arcadia Naithon Beach, Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort, Radisson Resort and Suites, Radisson Resort Phuket Mai Khao Beach, Rayaburi Hotel Patong, Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa, Rosewood Phuket, SAii Laguna Phuket, SALA Phuket Mai Khao Beach Resort, Santhiya Koh Yao Yai Resorts & Spa, Selina Serenity Rawai Phuket, Six Senses Yao Noi, Stay Wellbeing & Lifestyle Resort, Thanyapura Sports Hotel, Thavorn Beach Village Resort and Spa, The AIM Patong Hotel, The Bell Pool Villa Resort, The Boathouse Phuket, The Kora Beach Resort, The Nai Harn, The Naka Island, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Phuket, The Pavilions Phuket, The Seaton House Phuket, The Shore at Katathani, The Slate, Phuket, The Westin Siray Bay Resort & Spa, Phuket, Tree House Villas Koh Yao, Trisara, Twinpalms MontAzure, Twinpalms Phuket, V Villas Phuket, Villa PhuKhao, Wyndham Grand Nai Harn Beach Phuket, Wyndham Grand Phuket Kalim Bay
Anthony Lark
President, Phuket Hotels Association
Phuket Hotels Association
