PATA to hold Virtual PATA Destination Marketing Forum 2021 from 24 November

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is set to organise the Virtual PATA Destination Marketing Forum 2021 from November 24 – 26.

As destination marketing organisations (DMOs) across the globe continue to rebrand from a purely marketing organisation to embracing the importance of also being a destination management organisation, the Virtual PATA Destination Marketing Forum 2021 celebrates this trend with the theme of ‘Experiences that Inspire.’

The event will gather the top minds in destination marketing and management for inspiring and insightful discussions on some of the major issues in marketing and managing tourism growth to lesser-known destinations.

The Virtual PATA Destination Marketing Forum 2021 will feature two nonstop days of learning, discovery, and networking. In addition to the conference that brings together high-profile tourism professionals, several virtual tours will offer an immersive experience of the destination partner, Sarawak, Malaysia.

The two-day event, supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture Sarawak and the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB), builds upon the global movement towards purposeful travel, wherein visitors share a vision of doing more for themselves and others. The event will feature two nonstop days of learning, discovery, and networking. In addition to the conference that brings together high-profile tourism professionals, several virtual tours will offer an immersive experience of the destination partner, Sarawak, Malaysia.

“It is an honour to be working with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture and the Sarawak Tourism Board to organise the Virtual PATA Destination Marketing Forum 2021,” said PATA CEO Liz Ortiguera. “In the post-COVID-19 landscape, travellers will be seeking authenticity far from the tourist-trap clichés. Secondary and tertiary destinations can capitalise on this trend by carefully managing and marketing their cultural and environmental assets. This will allow travellers the opportunity to see the true authentic beauty of a country and its people, and at the same provide an economic boost to local communities who greatly benefit from tourism.”

According to Sarawak Tourism Board CEO Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh Askor, tourism industry players are ramping up their efforts to prepare for a post-vaccination travel “boom” among a new brand of tourists also known as “revenge travellers”.

“Currently with the aggressive vaccination programme by the State government, which include its adult and youth population ages 12-17, as well as the recent rollout of booster shots for its senior citizens, and those in high-risk groups, Sarawak may achieve more than 80% fully vaccinated population by the end of 2021, making it possible for the state to establish itself as a safe ‘green travel bubble’ destination by next year. This is an optimistic boost in our readiness to reboot our tourism industry sooner,” said Sharzede.

The largest among the thirteen Malaysian states, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, bordered by Sabah (Malaysia), Kalimantan (Indonesia), and Brunei – a gateway to Borneo’s natural wonders and cultural riches. Sarawak, being the largest state in Malaysia offers a comfortable population density with 2.9 million population for tourists to enjoy a stress-free experience and allows visitors to take their time to fully enjoy Sarawak.

“With responsible tourism being one of the driving forces behind the industry’s reboot, Sarawak may see an increase in the number of visitors flocking to secluded tourism attractions and eco hot spots,” added Sharzede.

STB continues to actively participate in B2B and B2C virtual events to bridge a gap and continuously update their tourism partners with Sarawak’s products and experiences. In advocating sustainable tourism and emerging destinations, PATA is pleased to offer complimentary registration to all interested professionals, however seats are offered on a first come, first served basis.