Hello, everyone!

This week’s Feature Story delves into the highlights from AST Forum Ha Noi, held on June 5.

The gathering brought together industry leaders to explore practical solutions for reducing plastic waste - through innovative supply chains, guest engagement, and community partnerships, and to debate whether sustainability should be viewed merely as a cost center or harnessed as a revenue driver by embedding environmental, social, and economic principles into core operations.

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Key Insights from AST Forum Ha Noi 

From Plastic Pollution to Solution: The Pivotal Role of Hospitality

As we championed this year’s World Environment Day theme, #BeatPlasticPollution, AST Forum Ha Noi brought together three changemakers to deep-dive into how the hospitality sector can act as a catalyst for the plastic pollution. From innovative supply chains to guest engagement and community empowerment, these leaders illustrate how hotels can drive sustainability across their entire value chain.

Remote Resorts, Bold Innovations

Situated far from urban hubs, AVANA Retreat and Six Senses Ninh Van Bay had to design bespoke supply chains to fulfill their sustainability visions.

Dinh Thuy Nga, Sustainability Manager at Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, emphasized that successfully reducing plastic use requires both strong leadership and unwavering organizational commitment. “Hotels must adopt a long-term mindset, beginning with procurement, to meaningfully tackle plastic waste,” she asserted.

James Thai, Chief Operating Officer of AVANA Retreat, underscored the importance of forging partnerships that embrace creativity and resourcefulness. “Engaging in collaborative dialogue and reimagining local natural materials allowed us to meet our property’s unique standards,” he explained. He also pointed to practical, low-cost initiatives that any brand can implement immediately.

They use vintage mechanical keys, eliminating plastic waste while also allowing Jewish guests who observe Shabbat to avoid electronic devices. From experimenting with natural packaging, Thai discovered that compostable betel trunks are an ideal solution: abundant, eco‑friendly, and easy to cultivate in tropical climates.

Hotels rely on extensive networks of community members, suppliers, and internal teams. Especially in remote environments, the potential to inspire and elevate an entire value chain is palpable. 

A Voice from Thailand: Lessons from Second Life

Pauline Frison, CEO of Second Life, a Thailand-based social enterprise focused on ocean plastic collection and recycling, brings compelling insights to Vietnam’s fight against plastic pollution, even though her team doesn’t yet operate there.

Second Life has recovered more than 5,500 tonnes of plastic waste, a volume equivalent to two full Olympic swimming pools, from coastal and mountain areas, particularly in Thailand’s key destinations like Krabi and Chiang Mai.

Frison’s most impactful advice includes:

Look beyond circularity

While recycling and circularity matter, we also must urgently address non‑recyclable plastics and legacy waste already polluting our environment. 

Don’t let recycling justify plastic overproduction

Recycling should not be used to justify producing more plastic, stronger pillars like reuse, reduction, and durable alternatives are essential.

Empower communities to act

Awareness-raising is just the beginning but true transformation comes when local communities are equipped with real tools and platforms for sustained action.

Sustainability in Hospitality and Tourism: Cost Center or Revenue Driver?

Sustainability Starts with Defining Its Purpose

Motti Essakow, Co-Founder of nestwell hospitality and Rythms by Design, began with a challenge to rethink what sustainability really means.

He posed a thought-provoking question to the audience: "What is the official definition? What does the word sustainable actually mean? Because that's where it all starts."

Essakow explained that sustainability is about balance. "The word sustainable is about keeping the balance between destruction and restoration," he said. He pointed out that while sustainability often focuses on environmental or social factors, there is less attention on economic outcomes. According to him, real progress lies in aligning "people, planet, and profit" with financial success as an integral part of sustainable strategies.

Data-Driven Sustainability Strategies

Oscar Rapin, Sustainability Manager at Aquila, emphasized the importance of using actionable financial metrics to integrate sustainability into all aspects of operations. "We need to stop seeing sustainability as an isolated department, but one that is fully integrated into the hotel's operation and strategy," he said.

Rapin pointed out that tying sustainability metrics to operational and financial goals makes them easier for decision-makers to act on. "When you demonstrate that reducing energy consumption by 10% also cuts energy costs by 15%, you'll win the financial controller's support."

Rethinking Hospitality Standards 

Catherine Germier, Founder and CEO of Millennium Destinations, delivered a compelling critique of outdated hospitality practices. 

“Why are minibars a default feature in hotel rooms when they’re often unused?” she asked, sparking a discussion about reconsidering amenities to better align with sustainability and the evolving preferences of today’s travelers.

Building Resilience Through Values-Driven Decisions

Dorothee Perrault, Founder of Chôm Chôm Travel, shared how her brand’s unwavering commitment to sustainable principles has become a defining feature of its success.

She reflected on the initial challenges of staying selective in partnerships and turning down opportunities that didn’t align with her values. Over time, her steadfast approach built trust and credibility with both clients and collaborators. 

“Trust gives your company value,” she said, adding that prioritizing authenticity over profit helped her establish a strong reputation in the competitive market. 

Similarly, Bobby Nguyen, Chairman of Rustic Hospitality Group and Mekong Rustic, shared how his community-based tourism initiatives have created economic opportunities in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta. By training local community members in areas like hospitality, tour guiding, and traditional craft-making, ensuring that tourism revenue is shared fairly.

→ Read more about Essakow’s insights on modern luxury and sustainability

→ Go deeper into the panelists’ thoughts on the role of data in driving sustainable luxury

Regenerative Travel Asia LIVE Symposium Asia 2025

Our friends at Regenerative Travel are hosting Asia Live Symposium at PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay on June 29, 2025.

Who Will Be There? Hoteliers, travel advisors, destination managers, policy advocates, and entrepreneurs—all united by a shared commitment to regeneration over extraction.

Featured Speakers:

• ​Arnaud Girodon - CEO of Datai Hotels and Resorts

• ​Rigzin Lachic - Founder of Dolkhar Ladakh

• ​Inge de Lathauwer - Founder of Sumba Hospitality Foundation

• ​Richard Hassell - Co-Founding Director of WOHA Architects

• ​Phil Smith - General Manager of Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay

• ​Kissa Castañeda - Editor, Writer and Brand Strategist

• ​Jason M. Friedman - Founder of J.M. Friedman Hospitality

• ​Rene Vijay Shrestha Einhaus - CEO of the Dwarika's Hotel & Resort

• ​Amanda Ho - Co-Founder & CEO of Regenerative Travel

• ​Dr.Mark Watson - Group Director of Sustainability & Impact at Banyan Tree

The Program

​2:00 PM: Registration and Exhibitors Open​

​3:00 PM: Welcome Remarks

​3:10 PM: The Real Luxury: Culture, Community, Connection

​What happens when hospitality becomes a platform for cultural pride and community transformation? In this powerful conversation, four pioneering leaders will share how they’ve woven local empowerment and cultural stewardship into the DNA of their hotels and hospitality models. 

​4:10 PM: Designing Living Systems: The Future of Hospitality

​As we confront the twin crises of climate breakdown and cultural erosion, the hospitality industry is being called to radically transform—not just to sustain, but to regenerate. What if hotels and destinations functioned like living systems—deeply connected to place, responsive to change, and designed to heal? 

​5:00 PM: VIP Industry Cocktail

→ Secure a spot here if you’re in Singapore.

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