Gyeongju and Pohang Host PATA Annual Summit 2026

PATA Summit Brings Tourism Delegates Together in South Korea

The Pacific Asia Travel Association Annual Summit 2026 brought together more than 550 delegates from over 35 destinations across Asia Pacific in Gyeongju and Pohang, South Korea. The summit was organized at the Lahan Hotel in Pohang and the HICO in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province.

Delegates from destinations including India, China, the Maldives, Hong Kong SAR, and the UAE attended the event, which focused on tourism resilience, destination development, and industry collaboration.

Held under the theme “Navigating Towards a Resilient Future”, the summit featured over 60 speakers, moderators and panellists from organisations across the public and private sectors. Participating organisations included UNWTO, Azerbaijan Tourism Board, Guam Visitors Bureau, Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), Plaza Premium Group, Amadeus, and AirAsia MOVE.

The conference programme included discussions on sustainable tourism governance, digital tourism, destination marketing, economic uncertainty and opportunities shaping the future of travel and tourism.

PATA CEO Noor Ahmad Hamid said the association continues to focus on knowledge-sharing, practical insights and industry collaboration while supporting the development of future tourism professionals.

The three-day summit also included the PATA Youth Symposium, policy forums, industry and education roundtables, board meetings, networking sessions and destination experiences across Gyeongju and Pohang.

As part of PATA’s 75th anniversary celebrations, the event featured activities highlighting the association’s history and contributions to tourism development in the Asia Pacific region. PATA also recognised long-standing members with commemorative certificates and awards during the summit.

A commemorative PATA Small Garden was unveiled at the Bomun Tourist Complex Watermill Garden in Gyeongju to mark the hosting of the summit. The event programme also included a gala dinner at Expo Grand Park featuring cultural experiences and networking sessions.

The summit was co-hosted by the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, the cities of Gyeongju and Pohang, and the Gyeongsangbuk-do Culture and Tourism Organization.

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