(NEWS) GYEONGJU, South Korea, 2026-May-12 — /Travel PR News/ — The Asia Pacific tourism sector gathered in South Korea this week as the Pacific Asia Travel Association brought together more than 550 delegates from over 35 destinations for the PATA Annual Summit 2026, combining industry discussions, leadership appointments, policy forums, and recognition of long-standing tourism figures during the organization’s 75th anniversary year.
Held across Gyeongju and Pohang in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, the summit reflected growing attention on resilience, workforce development, sustainability, and regional cooperation as travel markets across Asia Pacific continue adapting to economic uncertainty and changing traveler expectations.
According to Pacific Asia Travel Association, this year’s summit operated under the theme “Navigating Towards a Resilient Future” and included more than 60 speakers, moderators, and panellists representing organizations such as UN Tourism, Global Sustainable Tourism Council, Amadeus, and AirAsia MOVE.
Discussions throughout the three-day programme focused on issues shaping the future of tourism in the region, including destination resilience, sustainable tourism governance, digital transformation, economic uncertainty, and evolving destination marketing strategies. Sessions also explored how the industry can better prepare and train future tourism professionals as workforce challenges continue across the sector.
Photo (L/R): Top Row: New PATA Chair Henry Oh, Chairman, Global Tours Ltd., and New PATA Vice Chair Ben Montgomery, Corporate Ambassador of Centara Hotels & Resorts.
Bottom Row: The members of the new Executive Board include Jackson Pek, Chief Corporate & Legal Affairs Officer, Amadeus; Maria Paz Alberto, President, Ark Travel Express, Inc.; Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, Director-General, Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA); Shuichi Kameyama, Chief Consultant, JTB Tourism Research & Consulting Co.; and Dr Sharzede Salleh Askor, CEO, Sarawak Tourism Board.
One of the major developments announced during the summit was the appointment of new leadership within PATA. Henry Oh, Chairman of Global Tours Ltd., was officially ratified as the Association’s new Chair during the Annual General Meeting. Oh, a long-time tourism leader in South Korea and Immediate Past Chairman of the Korea Association of Travel Agents, succeeds into the role at a time when regional tourism organizations are placing increasing emphasis on cross-border cooperation and industry alignment.
Alongside him, Ben Montgomery, Corporate Ambassador of Centara Hotels & Resorts, was appointed Vice Chair. Montgomery also featured among the summit’s award recipients, receiving the PATA Award of Merit in recognition of her long-standing contributions to tourism and hospitality development across the Asia Pacific region.
The summit additionally introduced four new members to the Executive Board, including representatives from Amadeus, Ark Travel Express, the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration, and JTB Tourism Research & Consulting Co.
Photo: PATA CEO Noor Ahmad Hamid (left-most), Chairman of the Honours Committee Tunku Iskandar (middle), and Chair Peter Semone (right-most) with the PATA Honours Awards recipients during the PATA Executive Board & Board Meeting and PATA Awards Presentation.
(Left to right) SanJeet, Director, DDP Publications Private Limited, and Suman Pandey, Group Chairman, Explore Himalaya Travel & Adventure, who received PATA Life Membership; Ben Montgomery, Corporate Ambassador, Centara Hotels & Resorts, recipient of the PATA Award of Merit; and Kornchalee Tantimongkonsakul, Corporate Affairs, PATA, recipient of the Chairman’s Award.
Recognition of industry leadership formed another major component of the event. PATA awarded Life Membership — the Association’s highest individual honour — to SanJeet of DDP Publications Private Limited and Suman Pandey of Explore Himalaya Travel & Adventure.
Pandey, one of Nepal’s best-known tourism entrepreneurs, was recognised for decades of involvement across adventure tourism, aviation, hospitality, and tourism policy. His contributions include launching Nepal’s first Himalayan Travel Mart, supporting the PATA Annual Summit 2023, and developing tourism-related community initiatives focused on sustainability and education.
SanJeet was recognised for nearly two decades of involvement with PATA leadership and for his role in strengthening regional tourism trade engagement, including helping bring PATA Travel Mart to New Delhi in 2023.
Additional Awards of Merit were presented to Montgomery and Judy Torres of the Marianas Visitors Authority for their contributions to destination marketing, tourism development, and regional collaboration.
Photo (L/R): Henry Oh, Chair, PATA; NamIl Kim, CEO/President, Gyeongsangbuk-do Culture and Tourism Organization; MiGyeong Nam, Executive Director, Culture and Tourism Bureau, Gyeongju-si City; ChanWoo Park, Executive Director, Culture and Tourism & Sports Bureau, Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Gov’t; SangHyeon Lee, Executive Director, Tourism & Convention Urban Promotion Bureau, Pohang-si City; and Noor Ahmad Hamid, CEO, PATA, at the ”Celebrating Our Host: Appreciation & Recognition” session during PATA Annual Summit 2026 in Korea (ROK).
The summit also highlighted PATA’s broader institutional evolution as it marked its 75th anniversary. Historical exhibitions and commemorative activities throughout the event reflected on the Association’s role in the growth of Asia Pacific tourism since its founding in 1951.
Beyond formal sessions, the programme included industry and education roundtables, a youth symposium, policy forums, governance meetings, and destination experiences across Gyeongju and Pohang. Delegates also attended the unveiling of the PATA Small Garden monument at the Bomun Tourist Complex Watermill Garden, commemorating the organization’s anniversary summit in South Korea.
Looking ahead, PATA also announced plans to launch a new Micro-Credentials Programme aimed at providing tourism professionals with shorter, expert-led learning pathways focused on sustainability, digital transformation, and emerging technologies.
As Asia Pacific destinations continue balancing tourism growth with sustainability goals and workforce demands, the summit reflected an industry increasingly focused on collaboration, adaptability, and long-term resilience rather than simple recovery metrics alone.
