Dear AST friend,

This week’s Feature Story spotlights Cap Karoso in Indonesia and Zannier Bãi San Hô in Vietnam — two resorts proving how well-designed tourism can create a powerful economic ripple effect by providing livelihoods while preserving culture and nature in Asia’s most remote regions.

On a separate note, your response to the launch of Sustainability Solution Connect has been extraordinary. We’ve already received listings from across the region — from impact strategists to partners driving water and waste reduction, and circularity.

If you’re a hotel or travel business in search of the right sustainability solution, our team can connect you with trusted partners who can turn ambition into measurable impact. Scroll down for details. 👇

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Sustainable Tourism at the Edge: What These Two Remote Luxury Resorts Get Right

Across Asia, tourism growth is entering a more selective and consequential phase. As overtourism pressures intensify in established hubs, attention is shifting toward peripheral regions — places with cultural and environmental heritage, yet previously excluded from mainstream circuits. 

In these places, the question is no longer whether tourism should arrive, but how it arrives, at what pace, and under whose terms. This notion of overtourism versus under-tourism was discussed at length in a recent AST Webinar. 

Two independent resorts — Cap Karoso in Indonesia and Zannier Bãi San Hô in Vietnam — offer a compelling response. Through deliberate design, deep local partnerships, and disciplined restraint, they demonstrate how hospitality can create economic value while protecting the very places that make it possible.

Together, they point to a future for Asian tourism that is smaller in footprint, but far more consequential in impact.

In this article:

Cap Karoso: Celebrating Cultural and Ecological Assets

Cap Karoso on Indonesia’s Sumba Island redefines remote luxury by grounding its low-impact design and operations in local culture and community partnership.

Built with blessings from village elders and staffed mostly by Sumbanese residents, the resort blends cultural authenticity, organic farming, and open access to create tourism that sustains both the land and the people who live on it.

Zannier Bãi San Hô: The Discipline of Small Footprint

Zannier Bãi San Hô in Vietnam’s Phú Yên Province exemplifies how luxury and environmental restraint can coexist, with just 3 percent of its terrain developed and the rest preserved.

Beyond its design and ecological initiatives such as solar energy, water recycling, and coral restoration, the resort strengthens local livelihoods through training, community programs, and a supply chain that keeps 90 percent of spending within the region.

It’s happening next week. Have you secured your seat?

Every direct booking is more than just a transaction. It shows that travelers trust your brand.

Direct bookings are also your best way to build relationships, protect your profits, and ensure long-term success.

Today, hotels face greater competition from OTAs and higher customer acquisition costs.

But there’s a clear opportunity: encouraging guests to book directly not only increases profits but also builds customer loyalty and strengthens your brand.

Join us for “Own the Guest, Own the Revenue: Advanced Direct Booking Strategies,” a live webinar exploring how hospitality leaders are enhancing direct booking performance through technology, personalization, and storytelling.

What you’ll learn:

• How Blessy Townes and Discovery Hospitality reduced OTA dependency with scalable strategies

• Insights from Ivan Cintado of The Hotels Network (now part of Lighthouse) on predictive personalization that converts

• How to turn your existing video content into shoppable booking tools with Madhavan Nair of Hoffero 

• AI-powered SEO strategies from Eduard Ruppel of Leppur Marketing to help you stand out on tools like ChatGPT and Gemini

Moderator: Rhea Vitto Tabora, Co-Founder, Asia Sustainable Travel (AST)

📅 Thursday, 19 February 2026
⏰ 4:00–5:00 PM (UTC+8)
📍 Live session free to all — registration required. Recording available for AST Trailblazers.

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