PATA honours industry shapers at PATA Annual Summit 2017

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) last week presented a series of awards in recognition of contributions made to the responsible development of travel and tourism in the Asia Pacific region.

The following awards were presented during the PATA Annual Summit 2017 in Negombo, Sri Lanka: PATA Life Member, PATA Award of Merit, PATA Chairman’s Award, PATA Face of the Future Award, a PATA Certificate of Appreciation, and the PATA Honorary Membership Award.

“PATA understands that the success of any destination is dependent upon it people. Therefore it is only appropriate that we take the time to recognise some of the individuals that have contributed to our industry,” said PATA CEO Mario Hardy. “I would like to congratulate all the winners for their valuable contributions and also thank them for their continued support to both PATA and the travel and tourism industry.”

PATA Life Membership was awarded to Dato’ Haji Azizan bin Noordin. This is the Association’s highest individual honour and recognises significant leadership and invaluable dedication to PATA.

Dato Azizan Noordin is the Chief Executive Officer of Langkawi Development Authority (LADA).  He is the former Deputy Director-General (Promotion) of Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board (Tourism Malaysia), responsible for overseeing the operations of the organisation and the promotional efforts all 44 Tourism Malaysia overseas offices.  He led Tourism Malaysia sales missions overseas and has been a key speaker at many international tourism seminars and conferences.

The PATA Awards of Merit are reserved for individuals who have consistently contributed to PATA and the PATA Chapter network over an extended period. This award was presented to Peter Semone, managing partner of the strategic advisory organisation, Destination Human Capital, and founder of the internationally acclaimed Lanith – Lao National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality vocational school in Lao PDR.

Semone has also acted as Chief Technical Adviser and Team Leader for European donor and Asian Development Bank projects. He also consults for United Nations agencies including the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the International Labour Organisation.

The PATA Chairman’s Award was presented by outgoing Chairman Andrew Jones to Sarah Mathews, Head of Destination Marketing APAC – TripAdvisor. Born and raised in Hong Kong SAR and fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese, Sarah has spent most of her life living in Hong Kong SAR, Beijing and Australia giving her a deep understanding of the region.  Her career started with Cesar Ritz Colleges and then eventually joined the London team for the Hong Kong Tourism Board and Visit Flanders where she held positions in MICE and international marketing.  Her role with both organisations meant regular contact with industry partners and working together to drive awareness of each of the destinations.

The PATA Face of the Future award for 2017 was presented to Faeez Fadhlillah. This award is presented annually to an exceptional ‘rising star’ in the industry, having exhibited initiative and leadership in the advancement of tourism as well as demonstrating a commitment to the sustainable development of the Asia Pacific travel industry in line with PATA’s mission. It is the most prestigious honour for young tourism professional in Asia Pacific.

Fadhlillah is the CEO and Co-founder of Tripfez, an innovative, state of the art travel portal dedicated to the rise of global Muslim travellers. Named as one of Forty Individuals Who Shaped Southeast Asian E-Commerce by EcommerceIQ, he was named 30 under 30 by Forbes magazine in 2016, 40 Under 40 by Prestige, Top 10 Young Entrepreneur Rising by Top 10, People to Watch 2016 by TTG as well as the Most Innovative Young Leaders Award 2016 by UCSI. Heading the brand of Tripfez and Salam Standard, Faeez advocates the concept of localising the travel experience through information enabling travellers to make an informed decision.

The PATA Certificate of Appreciation was awarded to Dr. Chris Bottrill for his work in leading governance revisions to align strategic efforts of the organisation in order to engage a broader base of membership.

Dr. Bottrill is the Dean of the Faculty of Global and Community Studies at Capilano University in North Vancouver, Canada. He holds a PhD in tourism network and destination development. Chris oversees programming and development in tourism and hospitality fields in a complex portfolio that includes five academic schools, international projects, and aboriginal education programming. He has taught a wide array of tourism topics including destination development, sustainability, marketing, and entrepreneurship at universities in Canada, New Zealand, the USA, and Austria.

The Honorary Membership Award is given to the official host to recognise their valued contributions as well as to encourage their continued interest in PATA. This year, the Honorary Membership Award was presented to Sutheash Balasubramaniam, Managing Director of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, the host of PATA Annual Summit 2017.