As of February 4, 2026.
Day 1: Pohang | Mon, May 11
Registration
Foyer, 4F, Lahan Hotel (also available in Gyeonju, 1000-1700 in front of Hall B, 3F, HICO)
0830-1700
0900-1200
PATA Youth Symposium
Grand Hall, 5F, Lahan Hotel
Destination Experience (3 programmes)
*3 tour options will be provided across Pohang and Gyeongju. Delegates staying at official hotels in both cities will be provided transfer to any tour of their choice.
0900-1230
1000-1230
PATA Executive Board Meeting
Opal Hall, 4F, Lahan Hotel
1230-1330
PATA Executive Board & Delegate Lunch
Patio, 6F, Lahan Hotel
1330-1430
PATA Honours Committee Meeting
Opal Hall, 4F, Lahan Hotel
Industry Roundtable
Emerald Hall, 4F, Lahan Hotel
Education Roundtable
Ruby Hall, 4F, Lahan Hotel
1330-1500
1500-1530
Networking Break
Foyer, 4F, Lahan Hotel
1530-1730
PATA Board Meeting
Sapphire Hall, 4F, Lahan Hotel
PAS 2026 Opening Ceremony & PATA Awards Presentation Dinner
Grand Hall, 5F, Lahan Hotel
1800-2030
Day 2: Gyeongju | Tue, May 12
0830-1700
Registration
In front of Hall B, 3F, HICO
0900-1000
PATA Annual General Meeting
GCTO Yukbuchon
Networking Break
Foyer of Meeting Room 205 & 206, 2F, HICO
1000-1100
PATA Chapter Meeting
Meeting Room 206, 2F, HICO
PATA Policy Forum (Invitation Only)
Meeting Room 205, 2F, HICO
1100-1230
1230-1400
Lunch
Hall A, 3F, HICO
1400-1530
Conference
Hall B, 3F, HICO
1400-1405
Welcome by Master of Ceremonies
Setting the Scene: PATA 75th Anniversary
As PATA marks its 75th Anniversary, this opening address welcomes participants and sets the tone for the Summit by reflecting on the Association’s legacy while signalling the strategic questions that lie ahead. The session frames resilience as a shared challenge for the tourism community — one that requires adaptation, collaboration, and leadership — and invites participants to engage with the ideas and conversations that will unfold across the programme.
1405-1410
Noor Ahmad Hamid
CEO, PATA
Navigating Towards a Resilient Future
In this keynote address, the speaker sets the strategic context for the PATA Annual Summit by examining what resilience means for tourism in an era of accelerating change. Drawing on global trends in geopolitics, sustainability, technology, and traveller behaviour, the session challenges destinations and institutions to move beyond recovery and towards long-term adaptability and transformation. The address frames the key tensions and questions that will shape discussions throughout the Summit.
1410-1425
1425-1440
Navigating Economic Uncertainty: Global Trends Shaping Travel and Tourism
As destinations and businesses plan for the years ahead, understanding the global economic context is essential to building resilience. In this keynote, the speaker will examine the macroeconomic forces shaping travel and tourism - from inflation and consumer confidence to shifting spending patterns and regional growth dynamics. Drawing on real-time payments and consumer data, the session provides practical insights into how economic trends are influencing travel demand and what this means for strategic decision-making across the tourism ecosystem.
Sustainable Tourism Governance in a Post-APEC Landscape
As destinations navigate shifting geopolitical, economic and environmental realities, government leadership is more critical than ever. This high-level session brings together national tourism authorities to discuss policy alignment, sustainable destination management, and cross-border collaboration in the post-APEC era. Panellists will share perspectives on balancing growth with resilience, community impact, and long-term competitiveness in an increasingly complex global tourism environment.
1440-1525
Networking Coffee Break
Press Conference
Meeting Room 205, 2F
1525-1535
Redefining Connectivity: Aviation Consolidation and the Future of Tourism Networks
This session explores how aviation consolidation is reshaping regional and global connectivity. The speaker will share perspectives on what enhanced scale and integration mean for route networks, hub strategy, service resilience, and long-term collaboration with destinations. The discussion highlights the critical role of aviation in enabling sustainable tourism growth and strengthening connectivity across the Asia Pacific region.
1535-1605
Rethinking Destination Marketing, Measurement and Impact
This session will explore the state of advertising and measurement for destination marketing organisations, placing data and technology within the broader question of destination resilience. The presentation explores how DMOs are reassessing success - moving beyond reach and volume towards effectiveness, accountability, and long-term impact - and what this shift means for strategy, partnerships, and investment decisions in an increasingly complex digital ecosystem.
1610-1625
Resilience at Scale: ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan 2026–2030 - A Regional Blueprint for Integrated Growth
The recently launched ASEAN Tourism Sectoral Plan 2026–2030 charts a unified roadmap for tourism cooperation, resilience, and transformation across Southeast Asia. Designed to reposition ASEAN tourism beyond post-pandemic recovery toward sustainable and inclusive growth, the Plan emphasizes resilient tourism infrastructure, seamless travel facilitation, workforce empowerment, digital transformation, and diversified, high-value tourism products. This conversation will explore how regional collaboration - supported by ASEAN member states, partners, and industry leaders - is facilitating connectivity, shared prosperity, and strategic alignment that strengthens both intra-regional travel and global competitiveness.
1625-1705
1705-1720
From Disruption to Direction: Leadership Lessons in Recovery and Expansion
In this candid fireside conversation, the speaker reflects on leading a global travel services business through disruption, recovery, and renewed expansion. Beyond business performance, the discussion explores leadership mindset, decision-making under uncertainty, and how organisations translate resilience from concept into strategy. The session offers a personal, reflective counterpoint to the day’s broader policy and industry discussions.
Wrap Up Day 1
1720-1730
1730-1800
PATA Life Member Get Together
Hilton Gyeongju Lobby Lounge
PAS 2026 Gala Dinner
Expo Grand Park
1830-2100
Day 3: Gyeongju | Wed, May 13
0830-1700
Registration
In front of Hall B, 3F, HICO
0900-1230
Conference
Hall B, 3F, HICO
Welcome by Master of Ceremonies
0900-0905
Global Travel Outlook
As global travel continues to evolve amid economic uncertainty, shifting consumer behaviour, and geopolitical complexity, this session provides a data-driven snapshot of the year ahead. Drawing on the latest research and market intelligence, the presentation explores key demand trends, regional outlooks, and emerging risks and opportunities shaping the global tourism landscape, offering a practical context for the discussions that follow throughout the day.
0905-0915
0915-0925
Digital Distribution and Demand Intelligence: Driving Sustainable Growth in Tourism
In an era of rapidly evolving traveller behaviour and digital marketplaces, effective distribution and demand intelligence are essential to unlocking tourism growth. This session investigates how digital platforms are enabling destinations and travel partners to better understand consumer preferences, optimize connectivity, and build resilient demand pipelines. Discussion will focus on practical applications of data insights, distribution strategies that support diverse market engagement, and the role of digital ecosystems in advancing long-term destination competitiveness.
Digital Tourism at a Crossroads: Platforms, Data and Destination Resilience
Digital platforms and technologies are reshaping how destinations are discovered, experienced, and managed - but their role in building long-term resilience is still being debated. This interactive session brings together leading digital tourism platforms to explore how data, technology, and consumer insight can support smarter destination decision-making, while also addressing emerging challenges around dependency, governance, and value creation.
Combining a short scene-setting presentation, a moderated panel discussion, and live audience interaction, the session will surface shared priorities, points of tension, and practical implications for destinations navigating an increasingly platform-driven tourism ecosystem.
0925-1005
1005-1035
Networking Coffee Break
Salon Session 1-3
1035-1135
Salon Session 1
Breakout Session 2: China Reconnected: Evolving Inbound and Outbound Travel Dynamics
China’s travel market is re-emerging in ways that challenge past assumptions. This session explores how traveller behaviour, destination expectations, digital influence, and market structures are evolving across both inbound and outbound travel. Speakers will examine what these shifts mean for destinations seeking sustainable engagement with Chinese travellers - and how resilience, adaptability, and cultural understanding are becoming competitive differentiators.
Breakout Session 3: Smart MICE and Digital Tourism: Designing Adaptive Visitor Economies
As destinations rethink how they attract and host visitors, smart MICE and digital tourism strategies are becoming central to adaptability and resilience. This session explores how technology is reshaping business events, visitor experiences, and destination management - not as an end in itself, but as an enabler of flexibility, efficiency, and long-term value creation.
Salon Session 4-6
1140-1240
Breakout Session 4: AI-Driven Tourism Innovation for Regional Development – Powered by Research Centre for Digital Transformation of Tourism, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Breakout Session 5: Halal Travel in Transition: Building Resilient and Inclusive Destinations
As the global Muslim travel market continues to expand and diversify, destinations are being challenged to move beyond basic Muslim-friendly offerings toward more integrated, resilient strategies. This session marks the launch of the Halal Travel Trends Report by CrescentRating and Mastercard, highlighting how shifting demographics, digital behaviour, sustainability values, and lifestyle expectations are reshaping demand. Through forward-looking insights and practical implications, the session explores how destinations can engage this influential segment with authenticity, inclusivity, and long-term impact.
Breakout Session 6: Heritage-Led Tourism: Preserving Identity in a Global Market
Cultural and heritage assets are not only symbols of identity, but strategic foundations for resilient destinations. This session explores how destinations are positioning heritage-led tourism as a long-term development strategy - balancing preservation, community value, and global appeal. Case examples will examine how stewardship, authenticity, and policy alignment can strengthen resilience rather than commodify culture.
Lunch
1240-1400
1400-1415
Fostering Deeper Bonds and Meaningful Connections: Hawai‘i’s Approach to Purposeful Tourism
In a world saturated with travel options, destinations that cultivate deeper bonds with travellers create lasting value - for visitors, communities, and local cultures alike. Drawing on Hawai‘i’s uniquely relational tourism model and reflecting on its role as the birthplace of PATA 75 years ago, this presentation connects the Association’s founding values with contemporary approaches to purposeful tourism. The session explores how meaningful connections - rooted in shared experiences, cultural understanding, and mutual respect - can shape destination identity, enhance visitor loyalty, and support sustainable tourism outcomes, offering insights for destinations seeking relevance and resilience in today’s socially conscious travel landscape.
1415-1430
Aviation, Access and Resilience: Rethinking Connectivity for Growth
Air connectivity underpins tourism growth, yet is increasingly constrained by sustainability goals, capacity limitations, and evolving demand patterns. This session examines how airlines, airports, and destinations are rethinking connectivity strategies to balance access, resilience, and long-term viability, highlighting the importance of collaboration in shaping routes, markets, and future-ready tourism ecosystems.
1430-1515
Empowering Talent for Tomorrow: Human Capital and the Future of Tourism
Resilient tourism economies depend on skilled, adaptable, and future-ready human capital. This session explores the evolving landscape of workforce development in tourism - from bridging skills gaps and enhancing digital competencies to fostering leadership and innovation across industry sectors. As part of this dialogue, PATA will launch its Microcredential Programme, a new initiative designed to equip professionals with targeted, industry-aligned competencies that support career growth and destination competitiveness. Speakers will discuss pathways to workforce preparedness that help the Asia Pacific tourism sector thrive in an era of rapid change.
1515-1530
Youth Leadership and Community Empowerment: A Case Study from Sarawak
Driving resilience in tourism begins with investing in the next generation of leaders. This session showcases Sarawak’s innovative approach to youth-led engagement and human capital development through the Rainforest Youth Summit (RAYS) 2026, where emerging changemakers from across ASEAN shaped discourse on sustainability, climate action, and community advocacy. The case study highlights how youth-centred programmes can strengthen local capacity, nurture innovative thinking, and integrate lived experience into destination planning - demonstrating that human capital strategies extend beyond workforce training to community empowerment and long-term destination resilience.
1535-1600
Networking Coffee Break
1600-1615
Stories That Matter: Narrative, Culture, and the Future of Experiential Travel
In an age where travel decisions are increasingly shaped by values, identity, and meaningful experiences, the stories destinations tell - and how they tell them - have never been more important. In this session, the speaker explores the power of narrative in shaping global perceptions of place, culture, heritage, and sustainability. Drawing on examples from around the world, the discussion will illuminate how thoughtful storytelling can enhance destination appeal, deepen visitor engagement, and contribute to resilient, culturally grounded tourism development.
1615-1625
Next Destination Presentation
1625-1630
Noor Ahmad Hamid
CEO, PATA
Closing Appreciation
Day 4: Pohang & Gyeongju | Thu, May 14
0900-1230
Half Day Complimentary Tour in Gyeongju or Pohang
In front of Hall B, 3F, HICO
All Day
Departure
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