The new era of hotel business with the new generation, sustainable tourism is the key.
"Sustainability is a trend that everyone in the hotel business is moving towards. I believe the sustainability trend in the hotel business will only intensify from now on. This is because, in terms of tourist behavior, especially millennials, they are increasingly choosing sustainable hotels."
Jee Teng Hospitality A company specializing in hotel and real estate businesses, headquartered in Mueang District, Phuket Province, the company was originally called Yi Teng Phuket before rebranding to Yi Teng Hospitality in 2564 under the leadership of Sahat Jiwawisitnon The heir of an old Phuket family who continues the hotel business with the aim of developing and expanding the business to keep up with the times.
Sahat Jiwawisitnon At the age of less than 30 years, he held the position Executive Board Affiliated Companies Yiteng Hospitality Since 2563, after graduating with a Bachelor's degree in International Hotel Management from Les Roches Crans-Montana, Switzerland Global Hospitality Education and pursuing a Master's degree in Hospitality Management from Cornell University, USA, before returning to join in developing the business by combining traditional ideas with new perspectives from the new generation to create sustainability and identity for the family hotel business.
As a young, ambitious hotelier who wants to make a difference, Saharat explained that when he returned to continue his business, he began rebranding Yi Teng Phuket, a company with over 30 years of history, into Yi Teng Hospitality, a business group driven by innovation and committed to the sustainable development of Phuket Province.
Yi Teng Hospitality currently manages the 600-room Four Points by Sheraton Phuket Patong Beach Resort, the group's flagship property, and has a future project, the 600-room Sheraton Phuket Nai Harn Beach Resort & Spa, as well as several other projects slated for launch soon, with a target of exceeding 1,000 rooms in total in the coming years.
“After graduating, I returned to open a hotel right during the COVID-90 pandemic. At the time, many people asked whether we should open a hotel or close it. But I chose to move forward because I had confidence in my team, the brand, and the assets, and I had confidence in the good partners who would support me. At that time, we started with about 400 employees, and it has grown steadily. Today, we have about XNUMX employees.”
The US also explained that the hotel business continues to evolve in a highly competitive environment, with new hotel openings occurring all the time, or every day, in every corner of the world. Therefore, the hotel business must adapt to new trends to make it easier for it to compete with others.
"Sustainability is a trend that everyone in the hotel business is moving towards. I believe the sustainability trend in the hotel business will only intensify from now on. This is because, in terms of tourist behavior, especially the younger generation, millennials, are increasingly choosing sustainable hotels."
Modern hotel business
Sustainability is the key
Phuket, as a major tourist city in Thailand, is currently seeing hotel businesses in Phuket moving towards more sustainable hotels. For hotels in the Yi Teng Hospitality chain, there is a 5-year goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (Carbon Emission) by approximately 3.5 million kilos of carbon. In 2567, approximately 4.8 million kilos have already been reduced, and by 2573, they want to close with the figure of 1.6 million kilos of carbon.
The United States said that starting a new project led to choosing to invest in sustainability from the beginning, like buttoning the first button. If it's fastened correctly, the rest will be easier to move forward. Four Points by Sheraton Phuket Patong Beach Resort, which opened during COVID-19, began seriously pursuing sustainability by implementing a Building Energy Management System and various data collection systems that help collect carbon emissions data. This was prepared during construction. Later, projects such as reducing plastic in the hotel, which began in the later stages, vertical gardens, and the use of solar panels, were followed.
“We chose to start with technology investments that established sustainability systems. By starting early and choosing to pursue sustainability from the beginning, we made it easier for others to transition to sustainability.”
Yiteng Hospitality's policy focuses on investing in hotels under world-class brands, such as Marriott Hotels, which have a key requirement of achieving Net Carbon Zero by 2593, which is a key driver for the correct and effective implementation of sustainability strategies. Furthermore, our main financial partner, Siam Commercial Bank, has also set a goal to reach Net Carbon Zero and continues to support hotel businesses that adhere to the concept of sustainable development.
Additionally, the Sheraton Nai Harn Hotel project, scheduled to open around the end of 2028, will operate under more sustainable hotel standards and will receive full EDGE Certification green building certification. EDGE Certification will not impact the hotel's room revenue or Average Daily Rate (ADR) as room rates fluctuate seasonally and are subject to market competition.
The Nai Harn hotel project has a significantly different investment budget than previous projects, as construction costs associated with sustainability standards have increased by approximately 20-30%. However, the value proposition has also increased, with Siam Commercial Bank providing financial support through a Sustainability Linked Loan. Compared to traditional loans, sustainability-linked financing offers businesses a more competitive interest rate, and a financial partner plays a crucial role in the business, as it is a long-term relationship.
Distribute income to the community
Support local producers
The United States further stated that it is confident that the concept of sustainability benefits both the hotel business and society as a whole, including effectively promoting the local economy. Purchasing products from local producers helps diversify income and enhance local economic potential, thus strengthening the province before expanding to other areas.
“Sustainability doesn't just impact our hotel; it also contributes to both social and economic well-being. We use local ingredients, which gives locals more opportunities. By supporting the community, we help them diversify their income, improving the local economy and the local economy.”
The future of tourism
The Thai economic backbone
In addition, he serves as an advisory board member of the Phuket Hotels Association and vice president of the Thai Hotels Association (Southern Region). As a native of Phuket, he believes that overall tourism in Phuket began the year well. However, the loss of several key customer groups has led to a decrease in tourists. For example, Israel has also lost its presence due to the impact of the war. There are still some Chinese tourists, but the majority are FIT (Foreign Individual Tourism) and independent travelers.
However, I still believe that Phuket is a city everyone wants to visit. In 2567, Phuket will be one of the 1 most visited cities in the world. I believe that by the fourth quarter, things may recover. But will it be comparable to last year? It will probably take some time to recover.
“The absence of Phuket's main tourist market may seem like a major challenge, but even in times of crisis, there are opportunities. We can use this time to expand into new markets, reaching out to previously unseen groups of tourists, such as Eastern Europeans. This presents an opportunity to diversify the tourism market.”
As the Chairman of the Sustainability Division of the Southern Hotels Association, if we consider the challenges facing Phuket tourism, we see many obstacles. For example, water is extremely scarce in Phuket, especially during the dry season. And getting every hotel to move towards sustainable tourism will take time. Saying that every hotel will move towards sustainable tourism without any support is impossible. Therefore, it takes time and is a gradual process.
With Phuket's main tourist draws already gone, and the overall Thai economy slowing down, returning tourism to levels seen in previous years is unlikely, or even likely until the second quarter of 2.
“Tourism accounts for 15-20% of the country's GDP, but demand for tourism fluctuates constantly. Relying on other industries, which fluctuate constantly, may not be enough to improve the structure of the Thai economy. Tourism alone would be insufficient to support the Thai economy.”
However, in 2569, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) will host the GSTC conference in Phuket. This will be an opportunity to raise global awareness of Phuket's goal of moving towards sustainable tourism and its efforts to establish Phuket as a sustainable tourism destination.
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