The 11th International Conference on Hospitality and Tourism (ICOHT) 2025 concluded with a focus on the industry’s future, reinforcing Malaysia’s leadership in hospitality and tourism education with discussions on sustainable tourism and AI, as well as a ceremony honouring top researchers, which laid the groundwork for a more forward-thinking global hospitality and tourism industry.

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The 11th International Conference on Hospitality and Tourism (ICOHT) 2025, organised by Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation’s (APU) School of Global Hospitality and Tourism (SoGHT) in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MoTAC) and the International Institute of Knowledge Management (TIIKM) of Sri Lanka, concluded on a high note at the state-of-the-art APU campus, leaving 200 delegates from 23 countries with a clear vision for the industry’s future. 

Held jointly together with the Global Hospitality and Tourism Forum (GHTF), the ICOHT 2025 international conference adopted the theme ‘Redefining the Tourism Industry Towards a Sustainable Future’, which served as a rallying cry for global cooperation and innovation. 

The ICOHT 2025 was a showcase of forward-thinking dialogue and academic excellence, firmly cementing Malaysia’s position as a leader in innovative hospitality and tourism education aligned with the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign.

A high-profile panel, moderated by Associate Professor Dr Ahmad Rasmi Suleiman Albattat, discussed on ‘The Importance of Sustainable Tourism and Industry Response in 2050’.

Experts from across the globe, including academics from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Australia: Professor Dr Atif Hassan, Beaconhouse National University; Professor Dr Ahmad Puad Mat Som, UniSZA; Dr Kiran Shinde, La Trobe University; and Professor Dr Vikneswaran Nair, Wawasan Open University and Cornell Leadership Academy shared their insights on how to build a resilient and responsible tourism sector.

This was followed by a fascinating presentation on the role of AI and technology in transforming hospitality and tourism, delivered by Professor Dr Cihan Cobanoglu from Virscend University.

The conference was a hub of intellectual richness, with a total of 85 academic papers presented — 61 onsite and 24 virtually. This diverse body of work highlighted the global scale and intellectual depth of the event.

The day culminated in an exciting Best Paper Presentation Awards Ceremony, which recognised top researchers for their valuable contributions.

Gold Award Winners

• Ms Elvi Rahmi Indarta
• Ms Agnes Magya
• Dr Ayu Helena
• Ms Yang Yashu
   

Silver Award Winners

• Ms Maria Monica Ruiz
• Dr Janitha Kularajasingam
• Assistant Professor Dr Kou Lok Teng Esther
• Ms Thong Qi Yi
   

Bronze Award Winners

• Dr Gene RyP. Hernandaz
• Ms Sana Ismayeel
• Mr Jerico U. Chua
• Dr Siti Intan Nurdiana Wong Abdullah
   

The Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards were presented by Mr Isanka Gamage accompanied by Professor Dr Silva DAC Suranga, Co-Chair, ICOHT University of Colombo; Professor Dr Mohd. Hafiz Mohd. Hanafiah, UiTM; Associate Professor Dr Jugindar Singh, APU Conference Coordinator; and Dr Ravindra Kumar Perumal, APU Conference Coordinator.

The event concluded with Mr Isanka and Prof Kashif extending their heartfelt gratitude to everyone who made the conference a success — delegates, speakers, partners, and organisers.

The GHTF and ICOHT 2025 has firmly cemented Malaysia’s position at the forefront of sustainable and forward-thinking tourism education, laying a strong foundation for the upcoming Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign.