PATA Singapore Temasek Polytechnic Student Chapter’s first Fireside Chat Series with PATA Youth Ambassador, Aletheia Tan

Group photo above of some members who attended the first fireside chat session on 23rd June 2021.

Singapore, 23rd June, 2021 - In an effort to learn more about the hospitality industry, the TP PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association) Student Chapter decided to host a Fireside Chat Series with plans to invite key industry leaders to speak about their experiences in the Hospitality & Tourism Industry. These Fireside Chat sessions will not only be open to the student chapter but also to other Hospitality and Tourism Management and other business-related diploma students and lecturers from Temasek Polytechnic.

The first instalment of the fireside chat series took place on the 23nd of June 2021, with guest speaker Aletheia Tan, our PATA Youth Ambassador. Aletheia’s impressive resume, prior to working with PATA made her an ideal candidate to share with students her experiences and offer pertinent advice on finding the right career path. Furthermore, Aletheia plays a key role in connecting youth communities around the world. Hence, her skills and experience in networking will also help students to understand its importance in the tourism industry.

Throughout the session, Aletheia discussed with our hosts of the event , Yan Zi and Tasya on topics like her career journey, experience with PATA and sustainable tourism. Aletheia also shared more about her love for events and her wishes to plan and conduct more events, adding that she considers the uncertainty of events the “magic of events”. She offered some key sharing industry insights: how to meaningfully create an impactful connection with someone on LinkedIn, the importance of having connections globally and how having skills like critical thinking, adaptability and resourcefulness are key traits in the industry.

The sharing session also briefly touched on how the Covid-19 pandemic has benefitted the PATA youth community with Aletheia noting that since the shift to virtual events, the PATA youth programme has become more inclusive and diverse because of the lower barriers to entry. Aletheia shared more about her most memorable PATA event as youth ambassador which was the PATA youth symposium in 2020 where over 2,700 youths joined in on the virtual event from all over the world. She further elaborated on why this would not have been possible previously, citing expenses and visa applications that in-person PATA events used to require as main reasons.
 

The final main topic addressed by Aletheia was about youths championing sustainable tourism. While discussing this, Aletheia shared that sustainable tourism was something she has always been passionate about, even before her career with PATA. In order for youths to champion sustainable tourism, Aletheia recommends that the youth conduct extensive research to find out what sustainable tourism looks like in real life and in businesses. For instance, if one is passionate about sustainable accommodation, Aletheia recommends looking into examples of hotels that are excelling in the area of sustainable accommodation in the region. Once equipped with the knowledge and deeper understanding, Aletheia believes that it is easier to apply what we have learnt in the classroom.

The hour-long session provided students with Aletheia’s insights from her career journey and experience with PATA. Some of these insights, like how to meaningfully connect with someone on LinkedIn, the importance of having connections globally and how skills like critical thinking, adaptability and resourcefulness are vital in the industry will help students to be better equipped for the working world. Overall, there were many enjoyable moments and a lot to learn from Aletheia.

Once again, a big thank you to our beloved PATA Youth Ambassador, Aletheia Tan for being our very first speaker for the Fireside Chat Series and for making the session informative and fruitful!

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About Temasek Polytechnic PATA Student Chapter

Temasek Polytechnic PATA Student Chapter (TP PATA SC) was founded in 2014 and it is the first Student Chapter in Singapore. We are affiliated with PATA, which is an established non-profit travel trade association for the Asia-Pacific region that is based in Bangkok. Our vision is to enhance sustainability, value, and quality of travel in the tourism industry.

For more information, please contact: 
Doo Yan Zi, Singapore TP PATA Student Chapter Chairperson - dooyanzi.psc@gmail.com
Nur Camelia Binte Mohamad Firdaus, Singapore TP PATA Student Chapter President - nurcameliafirdaus.psc@gmail.com