PATA Annual Summit 2026 to Spotlight Tourism Resilience and Industry Transformation in South Korea
(IN SHORT) Pacific Asia Travel Association has unveiled the full programme and speaker line-up for the PATA Annual Summit 2026, which will take place in South Korea from 11 to 13 May under the theme “Navigating Towards a Resilient Future.” The summit coincides with PATA’s 75th anniversary and will gather tourism leaders, economists, destination marketers, academics and technology experts from across the Asia-Pacific region. Topics will include tourism resilience, sustainability, digital transformation, destination marketing, economic uncertainty and smart tourism development. The programme also includes youth activities, cultural workshops, networking sessions and sustainability initiatives aimed at making the summit carbon neutral.
(PRESS RELEASE) BANGKOK, Thailand, 2026-May-7 — /Travel PR News/ — Pacific Asia Travel Association has announced a full programme and extensive international speaker line-up for the PATA Annual Summit 2026, which will focus on resilience, sustainability and the future transformation of the travel and tourism industry across the Asia-Pacific region.
The summit, taking place from 11 to 13 May 2026 in Pohang and Gyeongju, South Korea, is themed “Navigating Towards a Resilient Future” and coincides with the organisation’s 75th anniversary celebrations. The event is being co-hosted by several South Korean public sector organisations, including the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, the cities of Gyeongju and Pohang, and the Gyeongsangbuk-do Culture and Tourism Organization.
Noor Ahmad Hamid said this year’s summit carries special importance as the association marks its Diamond Jubilee while reassessing how it can remain relevant within a rapidly evolving tourism landscape. He noted that the organisation aims to strengthen its future role by listening more closely to member needs and adapting to changing industry conditions.
The conference programme will bring together tourism executives, economists, academics, destination leaders, aviation specialists and technology experts from across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. Discussions will centre on how tourism destinations and businesses can adapt to geopolitical uncertainty, economic volatility, technological change and sustainability pressures.
Confirmed speakers include representatives from major organisations such as World Travel & Tourism Council, Mastercard Economics Institute, Tripadvisor, Booking.com, Amadeus, Asian Development Bank and UN Tourism.
Notable industry figures scheduled to participate include Gloria Guevara, David Mann, Nadia Omer and Randy Durband.
The summit agenda includes keynote presentations, policy forums, panel discussions and destination-focused workshops covering a wide range of tourism topics. Planned conference sessions include discussions on economic uncertainty, destination marketing, tourism resilience strategies, ASEAN tourism planning, Chinese outbound and inbound tourism trends, digital tourism development and smart MICE solutions.
The event will also feature several side activities including youth-focused programmes, destination experience workshops and networking events. Cultural activities designed to showcase Korean heritage will include traditional dessert-making workshops, mother-of-pearl craft experiences and wellness sessions featuring singing bowls and foot baths.
A major focus of the summit will be sustainability and responsible tourism development. PATA stated that the event is intended to operate as a carbon-neutral gathering, with attendees invited to contribute toward environmental sustainability initiatives during registration.
Beyond the conference programme itself, the summit will also feature the launch of the rebranded PATAmPOWER initiative, new PATA Microcredentials educational programmes and the signing of various Memoranda of Understanding connected to tourism cooperation and industry development.
The final day of activities will include technical tours showcasing major tourism attractions in Gyeongju and Pohang, including the Seokguram Grotto, Bulguksa Temple, Hwangridan-gil and Pohang’s Space Walk attraction.
The event is supported by multiple travel industry partners and sponsors, including Korean Air, MMGY Global, BBC Studios and several tourism media organisations from across Asia and the Middle East.
Confirmed speakers include:
-
Alan Elliott Merschen, Founder, The Sigmund Project; Co-Founder, Myriad MMGY Global
-
Aaron Salā, President & CEO, Hawai’i Visitors and Convention Bureau
-
Becky Ip, Deputy Executive Director, Hong Kong Tourism Board
-
Bela Stantic, Professor, School of Hotel and Tourism Management, Hong Kong Polytechnic University
-
Bernard A. Metzger, Founder & Chairman, Travelindex Group & TOP25 World
-
Chan Woo Park, Executive Director, Culture and Tourism & Sports Bureau
-
Chander Mohan Parsheera, Chief Expedition Consultant, Adventure India
-
Dae-Young Kim, Professor of Hospitality Management, University of Missouri
-
Dan Wang, Professor, School of Hotel and Tourism Management, Hong Kong Polytechnic University
-
David Barrett, Founder & CEO, DBC & Partners Ltd
-
David Mann, Chief Economist, Asia Pacific, Mastercard Economics Institute
-
Deepak Raj Joshi, Advisor to PATA Nepal Chapter
-
Deokhyun Jo, Executive Director, Gyeongju Hwabaek International Convention Center
-
Emily Wang, Director, Overseas Marketing, Sanya Tourism Board
-
Dr Erwin Balane, Tourism Attaché, Philippines Department of Tourism – Korea
-
Eugene Tang, Chief Development Officer, South China Morning Post
-
Fabrizio Orlando, Director, Government Relations, Tripadvisor
-
Fazal Bahardeen, Founder & CEO, CrescentRating & HalalTrip
-
Florian Blois, Director of Marketing Partnerships, DIDA
-
Florian Sengstschmid, CEO, Azerbaijan Tourism Board
-
Gadijah Darries, Chief of Staff, Wesgro
-
George Cao, Co-founder & CEO, Dragon Trail International
-
Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC)
-
Guoxin Ning, Chief Government Affairs Officer, U-Tour Group
-
Professor Haiyan Song, Chair Professor and Associate Dean, School of Hotel and Tourism Management, Hong Kong Polytechnic University
-
Hyun Chul Shin, Head of the Glocal Tourism Team, Jeju Tourism Organization
-
Insook Lee, Executive Director of Korea MICE Bureau, Korea Tourism Organization
-
Jackson Pek, Chief Corporate & Legal Affairs Officer, Amadeus
-
Jessie McComb, Senior Tourism Industry Specialist, Asian Development Bank (ADB)
-
Jeninne Lee-St. John, Editor-in-chief, Travel+Leisure, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Macau
-
Jennifer Chun, Director of Tourism Research, Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority
-
Ji Eun Lee, Program Administrator, Organization of World Heritage Cities Asia-Pacific Regional Secretariat (OWHC-AP)
-
Jonathan Low, CEO, Global Success Learning Academy
-
Joseph Sheller, Director – Strategic Marketing Solutions, HBX Group
-
Karen Yue, Group Editor, TTG Asia
-
Mayur (Mac) Patel, Regional Commercial and Industry Affairs Leader, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, OAG
-
Mei Mei Song, Chief Transformation Officer, Plaza Premium Group
-
Michael Zhou, President & CEO, Odynovo
-
Nadia Omer, CEO, AirAsia MOVE
-
Nam Il Kim, CEO/President, GCTO
-
Natasha Montesalvo, Principal Consultant – Destinations, Strategy & Insights, EarthCheck
-
Noor Ahmad Hamid, CEO, PATA
-
Noredah Othman, CEO, Sabah Convention Bureau
-
Randy Durband, CEO, Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)
-
Régine Lee, President & CEO, Guam Visitors Bureau
-
Sarah Mathews, CEO, e-Tourism Frontiers
-
Shijun Liu, Executive Director, UN Tourism
-
Simon Moriarty, VP, Syndicated Research, MMGY Global
-
Soon-Hwa Wong, PATA Ambassador for Greater China
-
Stewart Smith, Managing Director International Destinations, Sojern
-
Sunny Chang, Director, Global Business Development, Tidesquare
-
Wrenelle Stander, CEO, Wesgro
-
Yang Li, Head of Public Affairs, APAC, Booking.com
-
Yuzhou Huang, Founder & CEO, WDtrip
Media contact:
Tel: +66 (0)2-460-9264
E-mail: communications@PATA.org
SOURCE: Pacific Asia Travel Association
