Breaking the Ice - Networking Session (2 Sessions)

Opportunity to briefly introduce your organisation to the delegates, share your experience that inspires and learn about PATA, ask any questions you might have, and build strong connections with delegates through a private networking session.

Registration is closed.

1400-1500:      Afternoon Session

1900-2000:      Evening Session

Before the pandemic, we saw tourism boards making a move away from just destination marketing and expanding their role to destination management. Post-pandemic, will that continue? Why is it important? What does that mean? Who is doing it best? And what are the implications for stakeholders?

Despite previous disruptions and fluctuations, the travel industry has always remained resilient, having demonstrated steady growth across the sector. However as we look towards a post-pandemic future, the industry must adapt, evolve and reprioritize in order to revitalise and rebuild a more responsible and sustainable industry. This session will showcase three destinations and their work towards sustainability and social responsibility, and look to examine what aspects of sustainability must the industry improve upon to create a better future for people, planet and profit.

During this session, BBC Travel Editor Anne Banas will share stories that she has covered during the pandemic that have inspired people to travel, while BBC StoryWorks will share how they have crafted stories for destinations that have inspired people to travel. 

Cardamom Tent Camp is a three-way initiative between The Minor Group, YAANA Ventures and Wildlife Alliance. The eco lodge camp, which opened in November 2017, sees a percentage of its revenues go directly to Wildlife Alliance and its conservation efforts in Botum Sakor National Park   Any additional profits are then reinvested locally. Wildlife Alliance is also supported by the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation, an initiative of The Minor Group.The Cardamom Tented Camp is therefore a pioneering and responsible Eco Lodge provider, committed to supporting the conservational efforts of Wildlife Alliance in cooperation with the local community, with a mandate to sustain and prosper the rich prevailing biodiversity of the area.

Adrenaline junkies will love the wide variety of all-inclusive day-trip adventure tours along Semadang River, which range from river kayaking, bamboo-rafting, caving, and jungle trekking. Visit in-person to enrich you local culinary experience with some traditional, home-cooked food using locally-sourced ingredients by the river.

All DAY 1 sessions will be rebroadcasted to accommodate all time zones. Post-event recordings will be available exclusively to PATA International Members.

The Rainforest World Music Festival is an annual three-day music festival celebrating the diversity of world music, held in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, with daytime music workshops, cultural displays, craft displays, food stalls, and main-stage evening concerts. The festival features a wide range of performances from traditional music, to world fusion and contemporary world music. During this session, we will sit down with Datu Aloysius Dris, one of the pioneers of the Rainforest World Music Festival, and Robert Basiuk, who helped co-found the event, to learn more about the founding of one of the most awaited musical festivals that Sarawak proudly hosts each year.

                        The negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic has forced tourism destinations to find the balance between recovery and sustainability. This need for stability and flexibility has led to the development of PATA’s Tourism Destination Resilience (TDR) programme to support destination management organisations in improving governance to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The session will encourage destinations to withstand adversity and bounce forward from crisis and disasters through risk assessment, risk management and adaptive capacity.

Kampung Sri Tellian is delightfully situated beside a river in the heartland of Mukah, Sarawak. Home to the Melanau community massively committed to preserving their culture, it is a hidden gem full of ancient stories. In this scenic village, visitors will be able to see for themselves the ancient Melanau tribe’s heritage, history and cultural intelligence. Discover more of the Melanau culture and history!

As some destinations have already begun to slowly reopen their borders, this session will examine some of the challenges and opportunities that these destinations encountered when reopening borders, and what more can be done to help ensure the safe restart of travel.

Lawas is a popular transit town nestled between the border of Brunei Darussalam and Sabah, Malaysia. Eat, hunt and play at Penawan Waterfall Eco Park to discover more to handmade ceramic beads in Kampung Long Tuma. Learn more about the origins of bead-making and their colourful traditions from the bead-makers of 30 years.

Kampung Awat-Awat is a fishing village situated in Lawas district where you can find authentic local desserts. With warm hospitality and delicious cuisines, the visit will make you feel at home while you’re away from home.

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the lives and livelihoods of everyone throughout the Asia Pacific region, with most destinations experiencing some form of lockdown. This has led to a drastic shift in consumers behaviour and the rise of the digital space. During the past year alone for instance, online purchases have increased substantially. In addition, customers’ loyalty patterns have changed as consumer interaction with brands has become a multipronged journey. With that in mind, digital marketing has become critical in building brand recognition and increasing traffic to business websites. This session will examine the best approaches to digital marketing and what is needed to create a successful digital marketing campaign as the industry looks towards recovery.

All delegates are invited to vote for the best virtual tour via Slido that is available on the virtual platform. GRAND PRIZE is waiting for YOU!

All DAY 2 sessions will be rebroadcasted to accommodate all time zones. Post-event recordings will be available exclusively to PATA International Members.