BANGKOK, 21 October 2022: The Pacific Asia Travel Association has announced the programme for its 2022 Annual Summit set to take place from 25 to 27 October in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, the first time the Summit convenes in the Middle East.
Exploring the theme ‘Reconnecting the World Sustainably’, the programme covers critical industry topics such as destination resilience, sustainable travel recovery strategies, supporting women in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), global hotel industry trends, sustainable gastronomic tourism, the voice of the next generation, and the decarbonisation of transport.
Hosted by the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) at the Al Hamra International Conference Center and the Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah, the three-day event brings together international thought leaders, industry shapers and senior decision-makers who are invested in driving tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific.
The PATA association network consists of public and private entities representing every facet of the travel ecosystem – government, tourism offices, hotels, airlines, MNCs, SMEs, universities, and other travel-related companies with interests in the Asia Pacific region.
Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority chief executive officer Raki Phillips commented: “We are delighted to host the Pacific Asia Travel Association for the first time in the Middle East. As a dynamic and forward-looking Emirate, we are placing all aspects of sustainability (environment, culture, conservation and livability) at the centre of our investment and development strategy. We look forward to driving the sustainability agenda with key opinion leaders worldwide to build a stronger and resilient tourism economy for the future.”
Speaker lineup
Dr Abdulla Mausoom, Minister, Ministry of Tourism Maldives.
Shri Arvind Singh, Secretary Tourism, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
Florian Sengstschmid, Chief Executive Officer, Azerbaijan Tourism Board.
Mitsuaki Hoshino, Vice Commissioner, Japan Tourism Agency.
Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General UNWTO.
Pansy Ho, Group Executive Chairman and Managing Director of Shun Tak Holdings Limited.
Eduardo Santander, Executive Director of the European Travel Commission (ETC).
Anita Mendiratta, Founder & President of Anita Mendiratta and Associates.
Chip Rogers, President & CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA).
Jessie F. McComb, Senior Private Sector Development Specialist Tourism at The World Bank.
Virginia Messina, Senior Vice President Advocacy & Communications at the World Travel &Tourism Council (WTTC).
Stefano Baronci, Director General at Airports Council International Asia-Pacific.
Fabrizio Orlando, Global Director of Industry Affairs at Tripadvisor. Audra Morrice, Masterchef Asia and Singapore Host & Judge, Cook, Author.
“After nearly three long years, I am truly excited for this year’s Annual Summit as we have brought together a diverse range of industry thought leaders, senior representations from the public sector and other non-governmental organisations to address the challenges and solutions to our complex and stage-wise recovery,” said PATA CEO Liz Ortiguera. “It is inspiring to see government representatives from Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Catalonia, Chinese Taipei, Croatia, Guam, India, Japan, Korea (ROK), Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, the Philippines, Sabah, Sarawak, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, and Vietnam, to name a few, joining us to be part of this discussion as we work to restart a stronger, more responsible and more sustainable industry. Therefore, I invite all industry stakeholders to join us as we look towards recovery and continue to build a future where tourism remains a positive tool in fuelling sustainable development and economic growth.”
Programme highlights
Day 1, 25 October
PATA Board and internal meetings (members only), Chapter Congress, a mobile photography workshop by award-winning Nikon Professional Photographer and frequent Apple collaborator and iPhone content creator Scott Woodward, a half-day destination tour and the welcome reception at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.
Day 2, 26 October
Destination Sustainability Forum (invite only) and concurrent breakout sessions on the topics of destination resilience, destination marketing and the immediate needs for MSME recovery.
Post lunch hosted by the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, the PATA Annual Summit will have its official opening ceremony, followed by an afternoon of keynote presentations, fireside chats and panel discussions.
Dinner reception and the PATA Awards Presentation at the Ritz Carlton Al Wadi Desert.
Day 3, 27 October
Panel discussions on developing responsible destinations, future leaders and the investment in human capital, supporting women in MSMEs, a keynote on global hotel industry trends and an aviation session on the route to recovery, followed by a series of breakout sessions on a range of different topics.
The PATA Annual Summit 2022 is hosted by the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, with support from Knowledge Partner (Destination Sustainability Leadership Forum), Mastercard; Platinum Sponsor, the Azerbaijan Tourism Board; Workshop Sponsors, ForwardKeys and Quilt.AI, and Event Tech Partners, Cvent and the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB).
To view the complete programme, visit https://www.pata.org/pas-2022-programme-full. To register for the event, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pata-annual-summit-2022-tickets-227553537757.
For more information, visit www.PATA.org/pas-2022 or email [email protected].
