The dual-city PATA Annual Summit (PAS) 2026 kicks off this week in Pohang and Gyeongju, cities that are part of South Korea’s North Gyeongsang Province, with a focus on how destinations and businesses can transform to thrive in a time of constant, unpredictable changes.
PAS 2026 is co-hosted by South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Gyeongsangbuk-do Province; the cities of Gyeongju and Pohang; and the Gyeongsangbuk-do Culture and Tourism Organization.
It started yesterday with a Youth Symposium and several internal meetings, including the Industry and Education Roundtables, as well as networking opportunities.
A conference programme on May 12 and 13 will be aligned with PAS 2026’s theme, Navigating Towards a Resilient Future, and features a line-up of industry leaders.
PATA CEO Noor Ahmad Hamid will reflect on his association’s legacy and set the tone for the summit’s agenda; Shijun Li, executive director of UN Tourism, will examine what resilience means for tourism in an era of accelerating change; Gloria Guevara, president & CEO of WTTC, will discuss current challenges and their impact on tourism now and into the future; and David Mann, chief economist, Mastercard Economics Institute, will detail the impact macroeconomic forces have on travel and tourism.
Besides leadership keynotes, the conference programme also offers several deep-dive panel sessions, where a range of topics – from sustainable tourism management to future-proofing the industry – will be discussed.
Commenting on the programme, Noor said PAS 2026 “carries special significance” as it coincides with PATA’s 75th anniversary and offers “an opportunity not only to reflect on PATA’s history, but to learn from it – so we can remain relevant in the years ahead”.
Ahead of the conference, PAS 2026 also held the PATA Executive Board & Board Member and PATA Awards Presentation Dinner on May 11 at Pohang’s Lahan Hotel, during which five distinguished leaders in the Asia-Pacific travel and tourism industry were honoured with the Awards of Merit, Life Membership, and the Chairman’s Award.
PATA Life Membership was granted to SanJeet, director, DDP Publications, and Suman Pandey, group chairman, Explore Himalaya Travel & Adventure. As PATA’s highest individual honour, the award serves to recognise individuals for their leadership and dedication to PATA.
Ben Montgomery, corporate ambassador, Centara Hotels & Resorts, and Judy Torres, deputy managing director, Marianas Visitors Authority, received the PATA Awards of Merit for their consistent contributions to PATA and the PATA chapter network over the years.
Kornchalee Tantimongkonsakul, corporate affairs, PATA, was presented with the PATA Chairman’s Award in recognition of the exceptional behind-the-scenes support she has provided to the chair during his tenure, as well as her commitment, professionalism and dedicated service to the association.
“Each of these changemakers has helped shape the association through their leadership, integrity, and commitment to advancing our community, playing an important role in PATA’s continued growth and relevance today,” remarked Noor.
