Thailand will host its first major Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) event in Phuket province from April 21 to 24, 2026. The tourism sector expects the conference to generate commercial benefits across the country.
“It is an event that will put Thailand on the map, announcing to the world that we are ready as a destination to welcome sustainable tourism,” said Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor, who has championed sustainable tourism, ‘value over volume’ and zero waste initiatives since taking office in 2023.
“GSTC is more than an event; it is a stage for peer-to-peer knowledge sharing and a platform for further development as a sustainable destination,” she added.
The national tourism body aims to register no fewer than 600 attendees. The event will also convene more than 50 global experts in sustainable tourism among its speakers.
Thapanee outlined the broader economic objectives tied to the summit.
“The event will also help us to focus on resilience and quick recovery, and foster the sustainable dispersion of tourism around the country, while facilitating business matching opportunities to propel local entrepreneurs towards collaboration with foreign partners. Phuket will be a flagship for sustainable tourism – a success that will resonate across Thailand,” she stated.
The summit sessions will take place at the Royal Phuket City Hotel and the Courtyard by Marriott Phuket Town. Phuket governor Saransak Srikruaneth noted that the province is currently focusing on waste management as a prototype for the upcoming event.
Meanwhile, the GSTC mandates strong destination commitment prior to site selection. Randy Durband, GSTC’s CEO, detailed the criteria for securing the bid.
“First of all, in terms of selecting, we really want a sponsor and host for our conference – it’s not just about looking at the publicity of hosting our international organisation. We don’t want that. We want someone who has a destination that’s truly working towards sustainability,” Durband said.
“They don’t have to be perfect, but there’s a serious, strong effort to improve things, and mechanisms in place. We want to see strong evidence, not just that they’re very serious about improvement, both in the private and public sectors, but that they’re also encouraging and supporting the industry and the people. That’s crucial.”
He added that this year’s conference will also focus on hospitality. Durband highlighted the organisation’s relationships with Thai hotel groups as a key driver for the hospitality agenda.
