Resilience Takes Centre Stage: PAS 2026 Reaches Full House as PATA Reveals Speakers' Line-up

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is pleased to announce the PATA Annual Summit 2026 (PAS 2026) official event programme and speaker line-up—featuring leadership, industry experts, and academia from the public and private sectors of the Asia Pacific region’s travel and tourism sector.

Event Details
- Dates: May 11–13, 2026
- Venues: Lahan Hotel (Pohang) & Gyeongju Hwabaek International Convention Center (HICO), Korea
- Theme: “Navigating Towards a Resilient Future” – focusing on how destinations and businesses can adapt to thrive amid constant change.
- Occasion: Coincides with PATA’s 75th Anniversary (Diamond Jubilee).

Speaker Line-Up Highlights
The summit features leaders from tourism boards, academia, global organizations, and private sector innovators, including:
- Gloria Guevara – President & CEO, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC)
- Randy Durband – CEO, Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)
- David Mann – Chief Economist, Asia Pacific, Mastercard Economics Institute
- Nadia Omer – CEO, AirAsia MOVE
- Fabrizio Orlando – Director, Government Relations, Tripadvisor
- Yang Li – Head of Public Affairs, APAC, Booking.com
- Alan Elliott Merschen – Founder, The Sigmund Project
- Becky Ip – Deputy Executive Director, Hong Kong Tourism Board
- Florian Sengstschmid – CEO, Azerbaijan Tourism Board

Strategic Significance
- Resilience Focus: Tackles how Asia-Pacific travel can withstand geopolitical, environmental, and market disruptions.
- Collaboration: Brings together public and private sectors to shape sustainable tourism futures.
- Global Reach: Speakers span destinations from Hawai’i to Hong Kong, India, Azerbaijan, and beyond.

This year’s PAS is not just another industry gathering—it’s a milestone event marking PATA’s 75 years of influence, with resilience as the central theme for the next era of Asia-Pacific tourism.