The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) has wrapped up its 2026 conference in Thailand, at the Royal Phuket City Hotel and Courtyard by Marriott Phuket Town. The event brought together tourism professionals, destination representatives, academics, and sustainability experts from around the world to discuss key challenges and practical solutions for advancing sustainable tourism.
The pre-conference programme was followed by the 4th GSTC Academic Symposium on April 21, which brought together researchers, academics, and practitioners for discussion on key issues shaping sustainable tourism.
The conference Welcome Dinner was held at Blue Elephant Phuket and opened with official greetings and a tribute to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, The Queen Mother of Thailand (1932–2025).
Luigi Cabrini, GSTC chair, said: “Tourism is back as an essential activity, a creator of jobs and a tool for development, providing social, economic, and environmental benefits. Sadly, the conflicts that ravage various regions of the world, and in particular the Middle East war, provoke human losses and destruction, and are also impacting tourism flows.”
The conference took place as reports circulated in Thailand about the possible introduction of a new tourism levy charge on visitors leaving the country. The proposal for a 1,000-baht departure levy is designed, some industry insiders say, to support internal Thai tourism, but it also highlights a broader trend of tourism being increasingly seen as an easy tax, as governments seek new revenue streams. Destinations with plans for introducing visitor-related taxes include:
- Barcelona in Spain (accommodation taxes to supposedly manage overtourism
- Kyoto in Japan taxing luxury stays
- Edinburgh in Scotland aims to introduce a 5% lodging tax in 2026
While New Zealand already has an international visitor levy, designed it says, to protect natural resources.
“Hosting the Global Sustainable Tourism Conference 2026 in Phuket marks a significant milestone for Thailand as we continue our journey toward becoming a leading sustainable tourism destination on the global stage. This conference reflects our strong commitment to driving tourism development based on the principle of ‘value over volume,’ while ensuring a balanced approach to visitor management and resource preservation,” said Thapanee Kiatphaibool, the governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
The carbon footprint of the event and the travel of all attendees have been calculated and offset by BIC Event Thailand and TCEB.
At the Farewell Dinner at Kata Thani Beach Resort & Spa, Randy Durband, GSTC CEO, announced the 2027 Global Sustainable Tourism Conference, will be held in The Bahamas, May, 18-21 2027. It will be the first Caribbean destination to host the event. The Honorable I. Chester Cooper, deputy prime minister and minister of tourism, investments and aviation said: “As a Small Island Developing State, The Bahamas brings a unique and important perspective, and we look forward to showcasing the practical work taking place across our islands.”
The conference venue will be the British Colonial Nassau hotel and the Margaritaville Beach Resort Nassau.
