Phuket will host the event from Sept 24-27 at the Pullman Phuket Karon Beach Resort where renowned experts, industry leaders and government officials from around the world will convene to discuss pressing issues and explore innovative solutions in island tourism while promoting sustainable development in the marine tourism industry. The previous edition of the event was held in Zhoushan in China’s Zhejiang province in October last year.
Representative delegations in Phuket are expected from Jeju (South Korea), Okinawa (Japan), Bali (Indonesia), Hainan (China), Southern Province (Sri Lanka), Zanzibar (Tanzania), Hawaii (United States), Penang (Malaysia), Cebu (Philippines), Kampong Cham (Cambodia), Prince Edward Island (Canada), as well as Scotland and Sweden.
Phuket will be showcasing its Sustainable Transformation Vision and Strategy, a 10-pillar tourism master plan collaboration between the public and private sector which aims to propel the province towards global Sustainable Development Goals by leveraging areas such as sports tourism, international education, gastronomy, medical services, meetings and events and the island’s marinas.
Yesterday’s meeting, held at Provinical Hall and chaired by Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat, covered many of the essential points required in prepapration for the event last this month.
Also present at the meeting were: Thawan Petchsuk, Chief of the Phuket Provincial Office; Watcharapong Chiso, Director of the Strategy and Data Group for Phuket Provincial Development; Pitikan Sittidech, representative from the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand, as well as selected officilas from public and private sector entities.
Further topics addressed at the meeting included safety management with a specific focus on the prevention of landslides, following the recent tragedy where 13 people lost their lives in Karon.
The importance of a robust human rights policy among local business was also discussed as the province continues attempts to develop a socially responsible small and medium business (SME) community.
Acknowledging, respecting and implementing policies as per the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the promotion of human rights to support SME entrepreneurs in Phuket that was signed last May between several leading organisations is key to achieveing this overall objective, officals reiterated yesterday.
The MoU signed last May was between the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand, the United Nations Development Programme, the Department of Rights and Liberties Protection, the Ministry of Justice and the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Bank of Thailand (SME D Bank).
Furthermore, discussions touched upon progress being made to enable entrepreneurs to pay taxes separately for each business branch in Phuket, while a follow up on progress of CCTV cameras being installed at the Tha Chat Chai checkpoint was also discussed, a project that has received full budget support from the private sector in Phuket.
Finally, the meeting considered the proposals of the Phuket Chamber of Commerce on two key issues: a guideline to solve the problem of theft and cutting of electrical wires in tunnels, underpasses and various areas across the island; and the proposal for Phuket to become a special administrative area.