Hello friend, 

As we close out the final AST Briefing of 2024, we’re thrilled to bring you the concluding segment of Thailand’s Best-Kept Sustainable Travel Stories.

Looking ahead to 2025, we’re excited to share our plan for the year, including next year’s content calendar. Scroll down to discover how we can collaborate to make an even greater impact together.

A quick update: Starting January 9, 2025, AST Briefing will be delivered to your inbox every Thursday, replacing the Saturday schedule we’ve followed for the past two years.

Finally, we wish you a restful and joyful year-end break although we know it’s one of the busiest times for many of you in customer-facing roles. Thank you for your continued support and for being part of our journey.

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Can Thai Hospitality Lead the Sustainability Wave Across Asia and Beyond?

Thailand’s hospitality industry has long been celebrated for its signature warmth and unparalleled charm. Today, however, it stands on the cusp of an even greater transformation — moving beyond traditional service benchmarks to embrace and excel in the rapidly evolving sustainability movement. 

This shift is not merely about adaptation but about leading the way in redefining what responsible hospitality can achieve on a global scale.

The momentum is driven by an ideal environment: increasing consumer demand for environmentally conscious travel, cutting-edge eco-technologies, and a growing recognition that sustainability is no longer optional but essential. 

Thai hospitality groups are leveraging this trifecta to redefine their roles—not just as service providers but as stewards of the environment and communities they call home.

From large players such as Dusit and Anantara to smaller companies including 137 Pillars and Ad Lib, these homegrown brands are poised to challenge the non-Thai giants in an area that matters more than ever: sustainability.

Could they be the sustainability leaders that the Land of Smiles and APAC need? 

For the final part of the special series, Thailand’s Best-Kept Sustainable Travel Stories, we spoke with the leaders of three Thai brands: Dusit, Ad Lib, and 137 Pillars, to find out what the industry can learn from their sustainability journeys.

Dusit’s Tree of Life: Redefining Sustainability in Global Hospitality

Dusit International, a distinguished hospitality brand with 75 years of heritage originating in Bangkok, has expanded into a global powerhouse with 57 hotels and resorts as well as 240 luxury villas across 19 countries, including China, Japan, the Maldives, and the United Arab Emirates. 

At the heart of Dusit’s forward-looking vision lies its Tree of Life strategy, a 31-criteria framework designed to integrate environmental stewardship, societal impact, and long-term value creation across its hotels, food business, and educational ventures.

Why Tree of Life Stands out

Unlike many industry initiatives, Dusit’s Tree of Life is not a standalone program but a deeply embedded philosophy across its operations.

According to Sirirat Pinrod, Group Assistant Director of Sustainability, the initiative is structured to empower individual properties with actionable tools and guidelines. “Our primary objective is to ensure this initiative takes root effectively at the property level,” she explains.

»»» Read more about the 3 Actionable Takeaways on responsible resourcing, staff engagement, and impact measuring and communicating.

137 Pillars and Ad Lib: Small yet Influential, Redefining the Scene

It’s undeniable that businesses of every size and industry have a role to play in shaping the new climate economy. 

While large corporations often dominate the conversation, smaller hospitality brands are also driving impactful progress toward sustainability.

Take 137 Pillars and Ad Lib as examples. Both are family-run Thai-owned brands with just two properties each, but that’s where the similarities end. Each is charting its own unique sustainability path, realizing its own ambition, and uncovering different growth opportunities in Thailand. 

These two different stories highlight a powerful truth: the sustainability journey is not one-size-fits-all. For industry professionals, the contrast offers a goldmine of actionable insights, proving that impactful strategies come in many forms, and must be tailored to location, scale, and mission.

137 Pillars: Preserving Cultural and Natural Heritage for the Future Generations

In the minds of discerning travelers, the 137 Pillars brand evokes an image of historic Thailand, steeped in the heritage of the 1800s. This connection is rooted in the brand’s name, derived from the 137 teakwood pillars that formed the foundation of the main house at the Chiang Mai property, once the headquarters of the Borneo Trading Company.

Today, this legacy is matched by a forward-looking vision, championed by two trailblazing leaders: Anne Arrowsmith, General Manager of 137 Pillars House Chiang Mai, and Nida Wongphanlert, Managing Owner of 137 Pillars Hotels & Resorts.

Sustainability as an Investment, Not a Cost

While some perceive sustainability as a financial burden, 137 Pillars approaches it as a long-term investment. “Not all initiatives yield immediate returns,” Nida acknowledges. “However, by prioritizing critical areas, we reduce resource consumption, enhance brand appeal, and cater to the growing demand for eco-conscious travel experiences.”

»»» Read more about how 137 Pillars’ positive impact reverberates via its community upliftment and wildlife protection initiatives. 

Ad Lib: Leveraging Responsible Tourism as A Catalyst for Economic Development 

Under the leadership of its founder, Gavin Vongkusolkit, Ad Lib is a fine example of how hospitality and tourism can change the trajectory of a destination. With a forward-thinking approach to design, operations, and community engagement, Gavin is creating a hospitality model that aligns economic success with environmental stewardship and cultural authenticity.

Khon Kaen: From Agricultural Hub to Regional Destination

In Khon Kaen, Gavin envisions transforming the region into a nexus for responsible tourism and innovation.

Gavin explains, “By building an Ad Lib property in Khon Kaen, we wanted to create a destination for travel and MICE in one of the poorest regions in Thailand. With agriculture being the largest economic sector, we knew we wanted to work with farmers in some capacity.”

Gavin’s plan includes making the Khon Kaen Innovation Center and Ad Lib the heart of an ecosystem that propels responsible tourism and MICE activities. His vision is to transform Khon Kaen into the next Mekong region’s Aspen or Davos – a destination where China, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia convene to make important and consequential policies together. 

»»» Read more about Gavin’s insights on why having access to capital and sound business acumen is critical for achieving long-term impact.

Join the Conversation: Let’s Feature Your Sustainability Story!

AST will continue to be a platform that spotlights changemakers as well as hospitality and travel companies shaping the future of sustainable tourism in Asia and beyond.

In 2025, we’re excited to do something slightly different. We’ll be delving deeper into technical solutions to offer more actionable ‘how-to’ content that highlights the tools, resources, and organizations to help you accelerate your sustainability journey.

Do you have a story that you want to share with the world? Reply to this email. We’d love to hear from you and explore how we can feature it on AST.

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