The need for constant education, public-private collaboration, and participation in certification programmes will help the business events sector to minimise its environmental impact, said panellists at the Driving Change: Sustainability in MICE Tourism panel presented at PATA Travel Mart 2023 Forum last week.

Supawan Teerarat, senior vice president of MICE Capability and Innovation at Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau, initiated the discussion by stating that sustainability is now a “must-do”, and no longer a trend.

“The new generation of clients are more curious, and will not select destinations, properties, venues or DMCs, if (these suppliers) do not have sustainability policies in place,” she stated.

This is why TCEB has embarked on programmes such as the Farm to Function project, which encourages hotels to source products from local farmers; develops guidelines for sustainable event management; and provides consistent training for events operators to help them achieve ISO-level certifications.

Noredah Othman, CEO of Sabah Tourism Board, said the local business events sector is “at the stage where we should start sustainability right” and has the opportunity to learn “how to do MICE sustainably” from the more experienced neighbouring countries, like Thailand.

Noredah believes that Sabah’s business events sector is starting from a strong point, as the state’s identity is deeply interlinked with nature and conservation, and industry players are committed to community-based tourism and local sources. Visitors are also encouraged to offset their carbon footprint by participating in conservation efforts and be aligned with Sabah’s ethos of protecting its natural wonders.

Meanwhile, Amaresh Tiwari, vice chairman of the Indian Convention Promotion Bureau, highlighted how India is embracing sustainability through initiatives like Travel for LiFE, to bring about large-scale behavioural change among tourists and tourism businesses.

He elaborated how India has made strides in energy conservation, such as by using LED lighting and harnessing solar power in “30 to 40 per cent” of convention centres around the country, where excess energy “goes back to the surrounding community”.

Jyothi Varma, consultant of Travel Related Services Online and Offline, underscored the importance of education in instilling a culture of sustainability from an early age. She encouraged students in the audience to question everything, and participate in various groups and associations to learn more.

In a follow-up Forum session, Increasing sustainability in the tourism supply chain through standards and certification, Peter Richards, a project manager for Tourlink SwitchAsia Programme, also highlighted the importance of supplier education.

Richards said sustainability impact would be achieved once suppliers choose to be sustainable and more tourists opt for responsible tours and participate in community projects.

Tourlink SwitchAsia Programme aims to raise sustainability standards and bridge gaps in various sub-sectors of the Europe-Thai tourism supply chain. Efforts are also underway to draft Thailand’s first global sustainable tourism criteria, and align its carbon footprint calculations with European standards.

He elaborated: “The project involves developing checklists through a global-local consultation process, tailoring materials, and conducting training for businesses across different sectors, ranging from community-based tourism in Chiang Mai to marine tourism in Phuket. The team also works on auditing tools for small suppliers who may not afford formal certification processes.

From left: FAITH’s Aashish Gupta (moderator); TCEB’s Supawan Teerarat; Sabah Tourism Board’s Noredah Othman; Indian Convention Promotion Bureau’s Amaresh Tiwari; and Travel Related Services Online And Offline’s Jyothi Varma