• PATA announces the Grand and Gold Award winners

    February 23, 2012
    PATA announces the Grand and Gold Award winners

    Bangkok: Different 21 organizations and individuals have been awarded with 2012 PATA Gold Awards by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) today. The awards are supported and sponsored by the Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO).

    This year, the awards recognise the achievements of some 27 PATA Grand and Gold Awards are being presented this year, with multiple awards going to Hong Kong Tourism Board as well as the Tourism Authority of Thailand, and Tourism Malaysia. The awards ceremony will take place on April 21 at the Royale Chulan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia during the PATA Annual Conference.

    PATA Grand Awards are presented to outstanding entries in four principal categories: Marketing; Education and Training; Environment; and Heritage and Culture. This year, the Grand Awards go to the Lao National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality, for Education and Training; Tourism Authority of Thailand for Environment; Heritance Tea Factory, Sri Lanka for Heritage and Culture; and Tourism New Zealand for Marketing, a PATA press release says.

    MGTO Director Mr Joao Manuel Costa Antunes said, “The 27 PATA Grand and Gold Awards are testimonies to the efforts of the NTOs, organizations and individuals who have done their best in the sustainable development and promotion of the travel and tourism industry.”

    Recipients of PATA Grand Awards 2012 –

    1. Education and Training Passport to Success,Lao National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality, Laos 2. Environment , Green Concepts,Tourism Authority of Thailand 3. Heritage and Culture,Heritance Tea Factory, Sri Lanka 4. Marketing,Rugby World Cup 2011 Marketing Campaign Tourism New Zealand

    PATA Gold Awards 2012 –
    1. Marketing – Primary Government Destination (PG)
    A Million Experiences to Share
    Tourism Malaysia

    2. Marketing – Secondary Government Destination (SG)
    The White Rann
    Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited, India

    3. Marketing – Allied Partner (AP)
    www.germany.travel: Multilingual website for Destination Germany
    German National Tourist Board

    4. Marketing – Industry (IN)
    Hong Kong Disneyland 5th Anniversary Integrated Travel Trade Marketing Campaign
    Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, Hong Kong SAR

    5. Environment – Ecotourism Project (EC)
    Organic Agriculture Project, Sukhothai Airport
    Tourism Authority of Thailand

    6. Environment – Corporate Environmental Programme (CO)
    Jetwing SEA – A Greener Vision
    Jetwing Hotels, Sri Lanka

    7. Environment – Educational Programme (ED)
    Frangipani Langkawi Waste Water System
    The Frangipani Langkawi Resort & Spa Malaysia, Malaysia

    8. Heritage and Culture – Heritage (HE)
    Ban Na Ton Chan Community
    Tourism Authority of Thailand

    9. Heritage and Culture – Culture (CU)
    Ramayana Prambanan Ballet: Preserved the Tradition Javanese Culture
    PT Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur, Indonesia

    10. Education and Training (ET)
    Banyan Tree Spa Academy
    Banyan Tree Spa, Thailand

    11. Marketing Media – Consumer Travel Brochure (BR)
    Luxury Escapades
    Cox & Kings, India

    12. Marketing Media – Travel Advertisement Broadcast Media (AD-B)
    Touch Korea – Power Spot
    Korea Tourism Organization, Korea ROK

    13. Marketing Media – Travel Advertisement Print Media (AD-P)
    Hong Kong – Asia’s World City Destination Image Print Ad Campaign
    Hong Kong Tourism Board, Hong Kong SAR

    14. Marketing Media – Travel Poster (PO)
    Poster Orang Utan, Diving, Mt Kinabalu, Homestay & Siti Khadijah Marke
    Malaysia Tourism Board (Tourism Malaysia)

    15. Marketing Media – Promotional Travel Video (VI)
    Hong Kong – Asia’s World City Brand Video
    Hong Kong Tourism Board, Hong Kong SAR

    16. Marketing Media – Public Relations Campaign (PR)
    Madame Tussauds Stamps Out the Competition
    Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, Hong Kong SAR

    17. Marketing Media – CD-Rom (CD)
    Naturally Nepal
    Nepal Tourism Board

    18. Marketing Media – Web site (WS)
    2011 Hong Kong Summer Spectacular Mini site
    Hong Kong Tourism Board

    19. Marketing Media – E-Newsletter (EN)
    Art of Travel
    Sita, India

    20. Travel Journalism – Destination Article (TJ-D)
    Can this be Paradise?, October 2011 by Peter Jon Lindberg
    Travel + Leisure, USA

    21. Travel Journalism – Industry Business Article (TJ-I)
    Bhutan Rolls out the Welcome Mat, October 2011 by Arnie Weissmann
    Travel Weekly – USA

    22. Travel Journalism — Travel Photograph (TJ-P)
    Coron Island After Sunset, Mabuhay Magazine, November 2011 by George Tapan
    Eastgate Publishing Corporation, Philippines

    23. Travel Journalism — Travel Guidebook (TJ-G)
    The Great Outdoor Series
    Hong Kong Tourism Board, Hong Kong SAR

    • Connecting you with the world of travel and tourism

      Theme Park Expo Vietnam 2025

      Asia Pool & Spa Expo , May 10 – 12, 2025 , Guangzhou , China

      KAZAKHSTAN International Exhibition “Tourism & Travel” Almaty, Kazakhstan

      Nihao China- Beyond your imagination

      India resumes tourist visa for

      Chinese citizens after 5 years

      India announced  that it will open tourist visa applications to Chinese citizens from July 24, 2025. It was the first time in five years since the South Asian country suspended Chinese citizens’ tourist visa applications in February 2020.

      The Embassy of India in China announced via its Sina Weibo account  that, starting from July 24, 2025, Chinese citizens can apply for a tourist visa to visit India after completing an online application, scheduling an appointment, and personally submitting their passport and other required documents to three Indian visa application centers in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou in South China’s Guangdong Province.

      Responding to the related inquiry, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said  that “we take note of this positive move. Easing cross-border travel is widely beneficial. China will maintain communication and consultation with India to further facilitate travel between the two countries.”

      Chinese experts said the latest move taken by the India marks a phased milestone in the easing of relations between the two countries, and creates favorable conditions for further strengthening bilateral people-to-people exchanges.

      On February 2, 2020, India temporarily suspended its e-visa facility for Chinese travelers and foreigners residing in China amid coronavirus outbreak. – Global Times

      Trump to pause anti-immigrant

      raids in hotels , restaurants

      US President Donald Trump has decided to temporarily suspend raids on farms, hotels and restaurants, according a media report.

      The US government has ordered immigration officials to pause raids and arrests on farms, hotels and restaurants, according to a report by the New York Times.

      Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were sent a directive asking that they refrain from heading to such establishments, which also include meatpacking plants and aquaculture.

      Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin confirmed the report, saying in a statement that “we will follow the president’s direction and continue to get the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens off America’s streets.”

      The pause in the raids potentially reflects the government’s concerns about the negative impact these operations are having on vital economic sectors, as well as electoral support. The agricultural industry, particularly in states like California, relies almost exclusively on immigrant labour for its day-to-day operations.

      The recent protests in Los Angeles, which were triggered by large-scale immigration raids in local communities, have increased pressure on the government. This situation poses a dilemma for the president, who is seeking to maintain the support of key constituencies ahead of the upcoming congressional and midterm elections in 2026.

      Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has implemented an unprecedentedly heavy-handed immigration policy. His cabinet officials recently held meetings with ICE leadership, setting a minimum quota of 3,000 arrests per day, a mandate that has resulted in intensified immigration raids nationwide.

      The temporary suspension of the agriculture and hospitality raids likely does not represent a fundamental change in Trump’s immigration policy, which remains aggressive in rhetoric.

      Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem pledhed that federal authorities are “not going away”, and that people who are in the country illegally, as well as violent protesters, will “face consequences”.

      The administration has relied heavily on a crime-focused message, which places significant emphasis on apprehending individuals illegally in the country who are also violent criminals.

      That message has been undercut, however, by statistics revealed this week which show the number of people arrested for immigration violations that have never faced other criminal charges or convictions has shot up from 860 in January this year to 7,800 this month.

      The number of individuals arrested with criminal charges and convictions also went up, but at a significantly lower rate of 91%. – Euronews , June 14, 2025

      Gulf Cooperation Council Tourism 

      Dubai – As tourism destinations in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) continue to grow, involving local communities in destination development has become increasingly vital for long-term success.

      Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Strategy 2030 aims for 39.3 million visitors per year, while Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 targets 150 million domestic and international visits, emphasising how tourism is being established as a key element of economic diversification throughout the region.

      At Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025, industry leaders emphasised that sustainable revitalisation of destinations must align tourism investments with community partnerships, cultural authenticity, and immersive guest experiences to provide lasting value for both residents and visitors.

      During the session on “Considerations and Implications of Involving Communities in Destination Revitalisation” on the ATM 2025 Global Stage, experts shared insights into building resilience, enhancing local prosperity, and ensuring tourism growth is both inclusive and enduring.

      Arabian Travel Market 2025, held under the theme “Global Travel: Developing Tomorrow’s Tourism Through Enhanced Connectivity”,  featured more than 200 speakers across three content stages and welcomes over 55,000 travel professionals from 166 countries.

      Messe Berlin India launched 

      to drive growth of ITB India 

      Messe Berlin announces the official launch of Messe Berlin India, a newly incorporated subsidiary that underscores the company’s long-term commitment to one of Asia’s fastest-growing markets. Headquartered in Delhi , the new entity will serve as a strategic base for expanding ITB India and launching future projects tailored to the Indian market. With this establishment, Messe Berlin is reinforcing its vision of India as a regional hub for innovation, collaboration, and sustainable business growth within the exhibition and events industry.

      “Messe Berlin’s presence in India reflects our strategic intent to strengthen our international reach by being where the growth is. India is a key market for us — vibrant, diverse, and full of opportunities. With Messe Berlin India, we are laying down long-term foundations to build strong partnerships, support local industries, and elevate our global platforms,” said Dr. Mario Tobias, CEO, Messe Berlin.

      ITB India, inaugurated in 2023, continues as the flagship event under the new subsidiary. Held annually, ITB India is a three-day B2B travel trade show and convention that connects the global travel and tourism industry with the Indian market. Alongside MICE Show India, Travel Tech India, and the ITB India Conference, ITB India serves as a unique platform to forge new partnerships, strengthen existing ties, and capitalize on the fast-growing potential of the Indian and South Asian travel economies. The show hosts key players from the MICE, Leisure, Corporate Travel, and Travel Technology sectors. The upcoming edition, ITB India 2025, will take place from 2 – 4 September 2025  in Mumbai.

      FACTS —

      Tourism helps in:

      👉Reducing poverty

      👉Reducing Inequalities

      👉Promoting gender equality

      👉Fostering decent work and economic growth

      World Tourism Day 2021: ‘Tourism for Inclusive Growth’

      In 2019, Travel & Tourism’s direct, indirect and induced impact accounted for:
      -US$8.9 trillion contribution to the world’s GDP
      -10.3% of global GDP
      -330 million jobs, 1 in 10 jobs around the world
      -US$1.7 trillion visitor exports (6.8% of total exports,
      28.3% of global services exports)
      -US$948 billion capital investment (4.3% of total
      investment)