ADB, PATA partner Plug and Play to push sustainable technology adoption

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and PATA have teamed up with Plug and Play, a global open innovation platform, to develop technologies that could disrupt and redefine the sustainable tourism space in the region.

The Plug and Play Travel Asia Pacific platform is designed to bring together regional and international corporations to focus on key issues such as improving travel experiences, operational efficiency and sustainable tourism.

ADB and PATA teams up with Plug and Play to push sustainable technology adoption

ADB’s senior investment officer Dominic Mellor said: “ADB recognises that Asia and the Pacific benefit tremendously from tourism. Well-managed tourism is helping to end poverty, make cities more liveable and inclusive, and promote peace.”

He added: “In this context, our shared intention is to leverage the Plug and Play Travel Asia Pacific platform to pilot and scale sustainable and circular economy technologies that reduce waste, conserve energy and water, and provide green solutions to reduce the tourism industry’s carbon footprint and the effects of over-development across the region and beyond.”

PATA’s CEO Mario Hardy said the Plug and Play Travel Asia Pacific platform is “the perfect partnership” to foster sustainability among its members, transforming their businesses for “a more profitable, inclusive and ecological future”.

This is in line with the advocacy role that PATA has played in the Asia-Pacific region to drive “more inclusive stakeholder collaboration and public private partnerships”, Hardy added.

Since inception, Plug and Play has evolved to become one of the most established global consortium innovation platforms covering 14 industry-themed verticals that reviews thousands of start-ups per year across its 29 offices.

Jupe Tan, managing partner of Plug and Play Asia Pacific, said: “In the past few years, we’ve been collaborating with over 300 corporations – mostly in the Fortune500 category – to connect them with cutting-edge start-ups and execute their corporate innovation strategy. As part of our vision to help the world progress through innovation and connection, Plug and Play looks to continue to expand its reach within the regional tourism sector with more corporations to join the Plug and Play Travel Asia Pacific platform.”

Currently working with several prominent airlines, airports, hotels, travel agents and other industry stakeholders, Plug and Play aims to also provide regional local large enterprises with transfer and corporate best practices from its existing global corporate travel consortium.

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