PSU Phuket Hosts Zero-Waste Tourism Hackathon 2026
Prince of Songkla University Phuket hosted a zero-waste tourism hackathon where students developed prototypes like a circular slipper service to tackle hospitality waste.
The Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism at Prince of Songkla University Phuket Campus held the Tourism Zero Hackathon 2026 under the concept "Smart Solutions for Zero-Waste Tourism" on November 7-8. The event brought together students from various institutions to collaborate on innovations and develop approaches to tackle waste in the hospitality and tourism sector, with a focus on turning knowledge and technology into practical prototypes. The hackathon falls under the Tourism-Zero project (Curriculum Development for Zero Waste Management in the Hospitality and Tourism Sector), funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education program.
At the opening ceremony, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phonphisan Phromsiwaphan, head of PSU's Tourism-Zero working group, delivered the opening address and inspired the competitors. This was followed by a keynote from Niti Rakdachadkul, founder of Wongpanit Phuket (WPK), who shared experience on waste management, maximizing resource utilization, and developing concepts into innovation prototypes.
The competition drew 17 teams working on three key challenges: Smart Food Waste Reduction, Smart Tourist Behavior for Zero Waste, and Smart Waste Management for Tourism Destinations. Ten teams were selected for the final round to develop prototypes and present to a panel of industry and academic judges, evaluated on creativity, feasibility, and potential positive impact on tourism.
Judges included Rangsiman Khingkaew, President of the Phuket Tourism Industry Council and Vice President of the Phuket Tourism Business Association; Esther Saengiamkul, Founder and Director of Flamingo 492 Co., Ltd. and AI Advisor and Technology Strategist; and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kulda Phetwarun, Head of Tourism Management at PSU Phuket's Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism.
Five winning projects were awarded: - First Prize: Team Trash2Treasure (T2T) with "StayLoop: Circular Slipper Service" by Computer Engineering students, PSU Phuket. - First Runner-up: Team Umbrella Slider with a hotel in-room food ordering website by Technology and Environment students, PSU Phuket. - Second Runner-up: Team Re with hotel textile waste fabric by Science and Hospitality & Tourism students, PSU. - Honorable Mention: Team 024 - ABL LEAD with a vegetable waste-to-community-egg circular system for wellness tourism by Management Science students, Phuket Rajabhat University. - Honorable Mention: Team Rak Phuket with a QR Code Waste Sorting Guide by Hospitality and Tourism students, PSU Phuket.
The Tourism Zero Hackathon 2026 serves as another platform for students to learn and develop essential skills, including critical thinking.
