Picture: Welcoming the newly elected PATA Board members at the PATA Annual General Meeting on May 12 during the PATA Annual Summit 2026 in Gyeongju, Korea (ROK).
From left to right, Fabrizio Orlando, Global Industry Relations Director, TripAdvisor; Mr Thomas Wan, Chairman, PATA Hong Kong School of Hotel & Tourism Management (SHTM) Student Chapter; Shuichi Kameyama, Lead Consultant, JTB Tourism Research & Consulting Co.; Jonathan Low, Managing Director, Global Success Learning Academy Sdn Bhd; Dr Duangthida Nunthapirat, Dean, International Programs, Bangkok University; Henry Oh, Chairman, PATA; Noor Ahmad Hamid, CEO, PATA; Dr Paithoon Monpanthong, GSTM Program Director, Graduate School of Tourism Management, National Institute of Development Administration; Justin Ong, Regional Manager, APAC; Hotelbeds Pte. Ltd.; Dmitri Cooray, Managing Director, Jetwing Hotels Ltd., and Kamilia Hani Abdul Halim, Director, Tourism Malaysia Seoul representing Datuk Musa Yusof, Deputy Director General (Promotion), Tourism Malaysia.
New Board Members not present include Fazal Bahardeen, CEO, Crescentrating Pte Ltd.; Jason Wang, Chief Operating Officer, Global Tourism Economy Research Centre; Mike Stewart, Regional General Manager SEA, Intrepid Travel; Yeji Cho, PATA Face of the Future 2025 and Assistant Manager, Korea Tourism Organization; Khem Lakai, Chairman, PATA Nepal Chapter; Dr Supawan Teerarat, President, Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), and Dr Kumi Kato, Professor, Wakayama University.
(IN SHORT) Pacific Asia Travel Association has announced a new group of elected board members during the PATA Annual Summit 2026 in Gyeongju. The new board includes representatives from travel companies, tourism authorities, universities and industry organisations across the Asia-Pacific region, including Tripadvisor, Intrepid Travel, Tourism Malaysia and Bangkok University. PATA said the expanded board structure reflects its commitment to inclusive industry representation and long-term tourism resilience, innovation and collaboration.
(PRESS RELEASE) BANGKOK, Thailand, 2026-May-18 — /Travel PR News/ — Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has announced the ratification of newly elected board members during its Annual General Meeting held as part of the PATA Annual Summit 2026 in Gyeongju.
The newly elected members will serve alongside the association’s existing board representatives and are intended to strengthen PATA’s industry expertise and regional representation across tourism, hospitality, academia, destination marketing and travel technology sectors throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
Noor Ahmad Hamid, Chief Executive Officer of Pacific Asia Travel Association, said the association’s strength comes from the diversity and commitment of its members and noted that the new appointments would support PATA’s efforts to advance a more responsible, inclusive and resilient tourism industry.
Among the newly elected board members are representatives from organizations including Tripadvisor, Hotelbeds, Intrepid Travel, Jetwing Hotels, Tourism Malaysia and the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau.
The appointments also include representatives from academic institutions and research organisations such as Bangkok University, Wakayama University, the National Institute of Development Administration and the Global Tourism Economy Research Centre.
PATA also confirmed representation from youth and chapter initiatives, including Yeji Cho, recipient of the PATA Face of the Future 2025 recognition, and Thomas Wan from the PATA Hong Kong School of Hotel & Tourism Management Student Chapter.
The newly elected board members will join ongoing representatives from major tourism and hospitality organisations including Booking.com, Hong Kong Tourism Board, Korea Tourism Organization, Saudi Tourism Authority, Tourism Authority of Thailand and Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts.
According to PATA, the board plays a central role in guiding the association’s strategic direction and supporting its mission to strengthen tourism economies through knowledge sharing, networking, collaboration and innovation.
The announcement follows the unveiling of the association’s new Chair and Executive Board leadership earlier during the summit in South Korea.
For more information about the Association’s new leadership line-up, please visit the Association’s recent announcement on the new Chair and Executive Board at the following link: www.pata.org/press-release/pata-unveils-new-chair-and-executive-board-line-up-at-korea-summit
Media contact:
Tel: +66 (0)2-460-9264
E-mail: communications@PATA.org
SOURCE: Pacific Asia Travel Association
