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The GSTC participated in the 2025 Tropical Coastal City Tourism Event, organised by the Sanya Tourism Board and supported by PATA. Held in Sanya, Hainan, China from the 18th to the 21st of November, under the theme “Coastal Tourism: Symbiosis and Development of Nature and Culture,” the event aimed to convene global tourism leaders to rethink the future of coastal destinations.
The program was organised into three focused groups, each addressing a distinct dimension of coastal tourism development. Group A: Healthy Future explored global innovations in wellness tourism and examined practical approaches for destinations seeking to integrate health, wellbeing, and sustainability into their visitor strategies. Group B: Tourism Consumption and Commercial Development analysed how coastal cities can stimulate economic growth by strengthening tourism consumption, enhancing commercial offerings, and fostering more dynamic urban–tourism integration. Group C: Protection of Indigenous Culture considered how destinations can safeguard indigenous heritage amid rapid modernisation, emphasizing the importance of cultural preservation, community engagement, and respectful interpretation. Together, these groups’ themes offered a broad perspective on the evolving needs and opportunities of coastal tourism cities.
CB (Ram) Ramkumar, GSTC Vice-Chair and Director of Green Dreams for the Planet, participated in a Group A session titled “Sustainable Tourism and Ecological Restoration – The Future of Coastal Cities”. Which started with an immersion experience that began with a morning visit to Wuzhizhou Island, where participants explored scenic sites and learned about ongoing restoration efforts that balance tourism development with marine and coastal conservation. In the afternoon, delegates proceeded to the ‘Sanya 1 Hotel’ for an inspection, followed by an interactive Salon Discussion, during which Mr. Ramkumar was present virtually, along with colleagues from DASTA, the Department of Tourism of the Philippines, and JTB, among others.
“Sustainability succeeds when it moves from concept to daily practice. The discussions underscored how coastal destinations can adopt simple, scalable measures that strengthen ecosystem health, support the visitor economy, and improve local livelihoods. The GSTC Standards provide an essential roadmap for this progress,” said CB (Ram) Ramkumar, GSTC Vice-Chair and Director of Green Dreams for the Planet.
