Dear AST friend,

In this week’s AST Briefing, we’ve distilled the most actionable insights from our webinar, “Biophilic Design in Hospitality: A Secret to Happier Guests & Healthier Profits.”

Quick reminder: Asia Travel Future Summit kicks off December 3, 2025—now with an updated speaker lineup. Full details and RSVP below. 👇

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Is Biophilic Design the Secret to Happier Guests and Healthier Profits?

Your guests decide in five seconds. Before they spot the check-in desk, their nervous system has already made a judgment: safe or stressful, restorative or routine. That snap verdict shapes dwell time, spend, sleep quality, and whether they come back.

Biophilic design isn’t about simply adding plants; it’s a system that choreographs light, sound, and materials so those first five seconds work for you, not against you.

At a recent Asia Sustainable Travel webinar, we journeyed from the story-rich forests of Phuket to the concrete canyons of urban landscapes to answer a fundamental question: how can our innate connection to nature become a powerful tool in hospitality?

We stayed out of theory and focused on what works—audits before aesthetics, sensory layering, phasing without disruption, and how to measure results you can take to your CFO.

Featured speakers included two leaders who are actively building these environments: Samornpun “Tarn” Somnam, Executive Director at the award-winning Keemala in Phuket, and Ozge Fettahlioglu, wellness interior architect and founder of Cocoplum Wellness Design.

The takeaway was unmistakable: biophilic design isn’t about adding plants. It’s a cross-functional operating approach that, done thoughtfully, leads to happier guests, more energized teams, and a healthier bottom line.

It's a System, Not an Accessory

The most common mistake hotels make? “Thinking biophilia as an accessory,” warned Ozge. The real value isn't in decoration; it's in a cohesive strategy. Guests form an impression of a space within seconds. Research shows that if they can't sense the positive effects of a design within five seconds of walking in, the opportunity is lost.

Ozge explained that many hotels make the mistake of "decoration-first thinking." They buy plants, repaint a wall, or recarpet a hallway without a strategy and call it a day. 

The right approach is a three-step process: Audit, Act, Decorate.

→ Read more about the 3-step process here.

What else is inside the takeaways article:

• Build your story spine: How Keemala uses narrative to guide materials, patterns, and guest rituals—and how urban hotels can turn constraints into a compelling plot.

• Design the senses: Practical lighting, sound, and texture moves that create immediate calm and measurable results.

• Retrofit without disruption: Phasing, prototyping, and modular delivery to keep revenue flowing while you upgrade.

• What moves the numbers: Where biophilic design shows up in ADR, dwell, F&B, loyalty—and how to measure it credibly.

• Sustainability that guests can feel: Linking light quality, acoustic calm, and air freshness to ESG metrics and brand trust.

• Start tomorrow: Low-cost, high-impact changes any property can make this week.

For AST Trailblazers:

• Download the white paper, “Biophilic Design in Hospitality: Connecting Guests with Nature for Wellness and Business Success.” It’s an evidence-based framework you can put to work in your next refresh.

• Watch the webinar recording.

Not a member yet?

Become an AST member to get first access to the article and exclusive resources that help your property perform—operationally, experientially, commercially, and sustainably.

Register for the Asia Travel Future Summit: “Will AI Drive or Derail the Sustainable Travel Transformation in Asia?”

Speakers

• Julie Cheetham, Travalyst, Chief Operations Officer

• Chris Legaspi, Archipelago International, Chief Commercial Officer

• Blessy Townes, Discovery Hospitality, Vice President and Head of Digital Marketing & Branding 

• Dimitri Syrris, Baotree, Founder & CEO

• Tara Schwenk, Lemongrass Marketing, Senior Director of Digital Strategy 

• Matteo Bierschneider, Wise Steps Group, Co-Founder

• Rhea Vitto Tabora, Asia Sustainable Travel, Co-Founder

• Jeremy Tran, Asia Sustainable Travel, Co-Founder

Program - Subject to Change

15:00 Welcome Remark + Keynote Fireside Chat

15:20 Panel Discussion: Mastering the Synergy of Humanity and AI to Drive Operational Excellence

16:05 Panel Discussion: Navigating AI-Driven Data Collection and Marketing Responsibly

16:50 Closing Remark + Q & A

How to RSVP

The online summit is free to attend. Our mission is to democratize sustainability knowledge.

Attendees are invited to make voluntary contributions that support the continuation of high-quality, insight-driven conversations, with a percentage going directly to traceable social and environmental projects. 

AST Trailblazer and contributors of USD 25 or more will receive:

• Access to the summit recording

• A complimentary AI-Powered Marketing playbook to get ahead of the curve

Access insights, tools, and connections to lead the sustainability agenda in travel

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