Sessions #6 is alighting on the beautiful tropical island of Langkawi, Malaysia.

Our programme has a strong focus on sustainability, exploring eco-tourism, bio-diversity and community engagement / enrichment through a variety of lenses.

An engaging series of SYMPOSIA talks will be built around SESSIONS signature mix of SYNC specifier-supplier meetings, and SOCIAL networking opportunities in idyllic beachfront settings. Guests arriving early will also have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the rainforest on a mangrove tour in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Geokilim Forest Park, hosted by natural tourism pioneers Junglewalla.

Newly refurbished Host hotel the Pelangi Beach Resort & Spa, will provide a suitable backdrop to an agenda which has nature at its core. The antithesis of a typical business hotel, this tropical island sanctuary is nestled between award-winning landscape gardens and Cenang beach, and has been designed around the concept of a traditional Malay village.

Its rooms, housed in wooden chalets, are arranged in a series of clusters with individual verandahs, linked by footpaths that meanders between palm trees, providing a haven for local flora, fauna and wildlife.

Our opening SYMPOSIA session is a conversation with Ho Kwon Ping (aka ‘KP Ho’). The founder of Banyan Tree Holdings and recipient of the 2024 AHEAD Asia Outstanding Contribution Award, will share insights on his extraordinary career and business philosophy.

We are working  closely with legendary Langkawi property The Datai – as featured on the BBC’s Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby – to curate a series of workshops and breakouts. Based on their Datai Pledge initiative, these SUSTENANCE sessions will immerse guests in local arts and crafts, nature-based activities and community driven efforts to highlight the transformational potential of travel.

Sustainability expert Juliet Kinsman will host a conversation with Datai Hotels & Resorts CEO Arnaud Girodon, and renowned Malaysian naturalist, conservationist and educator Irshad Mobarak to explore how eco-tourism can be developed in a ways that protect and conserve biodiversity, culture and community.

We will also take a journey into the realm of slow travel, with Belmond’s Marianne Khan – designer of the newly restored Eastern & Oriental railway that now carries passengers from Singapore to the Malaysian jungle  and Eric Leong who will expand on Minor International’s recent adventures in rail travel and river cruises.

Colin Seah of Ministry of Design, and Justin Chen, co-founder of Else Retreats will participate in a discussion on how heritage buildings can be repurposed for hospitality, whilst representatives of some of the region’s biggest operators will look at the challenges involved in delivering sustainable solutions on a large scale in urban centres.