Leading hotels and tourism groups have signed the establishing a model for the future development of islands throughout Asia that embraces sustainability as a core and sets urgent goals for long-term change.
The Phuket Pledge is a commitment to reducing, reusing and recycling single-use plastic in Phuket with the aim to eradicate it in all hotels and resorts. In addition, the stake-holders vowed to undertake a youth community education program to ensure grassroots awareness of the critical problems surrounding plastic usage on the island. Supported by the Ministry of Sports and Tourism, PHIST is the largest hospitality event dedicated to sustainability in Asia, where over 550 delegates from countries including Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore and Hong Kong gathered in Phuket to debate key issues. “We need to fight for Phuket. It is as simple as that.
And we can’t do it alone. We need to do it together,” said Phuket Hotel Association President Anthony Lark. “We have worked to build an inclusive coalition of public and private sector tourism groups who understand the critical need to act and think long term. We hope the Phuket Pledge will be a start and ultimately become a model for us and other islands regionally to come together for the sake of sustainable island tourism in Asia.” PHIST was opened by the Deputy Governor of Phuket, Khun Prakob Wongmaneerung, and featured experts in their respective fields, focusing on marine and coastal tourism, sustainability, youth education and community tourism.
