PATA: Ras Al Khaima is now a new part of the Asia-Pacific Region

Aloha and Sawasdee to Ras Al Khaima. PATA made it official, in officially welcoming the UAE Emirate to the Asia – Pacific Region.

The Pacific Asia Travel Association is based in Bangkok, Thailand. It was founded in Hawaii. This happened in 1951 before the US Pacific Territory became part of the United States.

PATA is a not-for-profit membership-based association that acts as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from, and within the Asia Pacific region.

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has announced new dates for the next PATA Annual Summit.

Originally scheduled to take place live and in-person in March, the forum will now be held from October 25- 27, 2022. The venue: The Emirates of Ras Al Khaima. Ras Al Khaima is a travel and tourism destination with big ambition, and part of the United Arab Emirates.

The event will be the first time that the not-for-profit travel trade association, the largest spanning Asia-Pacific, will host its Annual Summit in West Asia.

Host of the PATA summit will be the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA). The three-day event is expected to bring together international thought leaders, industry shapers, and senior decisions in the travel and tourism industry.

PATA is trying to make this event interesting for makers who are invested in driving tourism to, from, and within Asia Pacific. 

The PATA association network consists of both public and private entities representing every facet of the travel ecosystem – government, tourism offices, hotels, airlines, MNCs, SMEs, universities, and other travel-related companies with interests in the Asia Pacific region,

The event, comprised of conference presentations, leadership task force sessions, workshops, PATA board meetings, and a travel mart component.

It will be hosted in various locations across the Emirate, including the Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah, The Ritz-Carlton Al Wadi Desert, and Al Hamra International Exhibition & Conference Center.

Exploring the theme ‘Reconnecting the World’, the program will provide a platform for PATA’s public and private sector members and partners to convene on critical industry topics, including destination recovery strategies, sustainability, and resilience, human capital development, women in travel and innovation.

“We are delighted that we will still be organizing the PATA Annual Summit in Ras Al Khaimah this year and bring together our industry network to discuss opportunities and best practices to enable recovery and sustainable growth,” said PATA CEO Liz Ortiguera. 

“The team is working hard to put together an event program, under the theme ‘Reconnecting the World’, that will take on a format that is more experiential and will maximize in-person connections and engage an appreciation for this beautiful destination. I invite all of our members, partners, Chapter members, and industry colleagues to join us for this long-awaited opportunity.”

Raki Phillips, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, added “As we navigate through a new era of travel and tourism, platforms such as the Pacific Asia Travel Association Summit provide invaluable insights that help guide our industry moving forward. We are pleased to host the summit in Ras Al Khaimah, the nature-based destination with exceptional connectivity and access that resonates well with Asian travelers. Combined with global hospitality brands and world-class meeting venues, we are confident that the PATA Annual Summit this fall will be a great success.”