Bangkok (Thailand) – December 26, 2019 (travelindex.com) – The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is pleased to welcome Hilton as the newest sustainability partner for Travel Lab Asia. Travel Lab Asia is a platform for sustainability and environmental innovation in the Asian travel industry, helping companies find technological solutions to their most pressing sustainability and environmental challenges. Travel Lab Asia is an initiative of ADB Ventures, the Asian Development Bank, and is supported by PATA and Plug and Play.

“We are delighted to welcome Hilton as our newest corporate partner. Together with Minor Hotels and Jetwing Hotels, Hilton is exploring innovative CleanTech solutions for a more sustainable future,” said Dr. Mario Hardy, CEO of PATA. “It is inspiring to see how these three companies are implementing sustainable and responsible business practices through technological solutions. I warmly invite other companies in the hotel industry to join us on this journey.”

Jeannie Kwok, Head of Corporate Responsibility at Hilton, said: “We look forward to working with providers who can help us accelerate our progress in areas such as reducing energy consumption. This aligns with Hilton’s ‘Purpose Travel 2030’ goals of halving our environmental footprint and doubling our social impact. Partnering with Plug and Play, ADB Ventures, and PATA is ideal for achieving this.”

In the first year of the program, Travel Lab Asia focuses on supporting partner companies in identifying and integrating CleanTech solutions to improve business performance and reduce environmental impact. Participating companies gain exclusive access to sustainable technology solutions from around the world. They receive support in defining their sustainability technology needs and developing pilot projects with solution providers. Furthermore, they gain access to the research and guidance of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on measuring environmental and social impacts. This enables them to clearly and credibly position themselves as regional leaders in sustainability. Travel Lab Asia also offers the possibility of low-risk investment financing through the ADB during the pilot, follow-up, and implementation phases.

CleanTech encompasses technologies for energy efficiency, waste prevention, recycling and circular economy, food waste management, reduced water consumption and loss, waste and wastewater management, water extraction and distribution, resource management, as well as adaptation to climate change and climate protection measures.

Two more corporate partners are currently being considered for the program, which starts on January 1, 2020.

Further information about Travel Lab Asia can be found at a.

About PATA: Founded in 1951, PATA is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to the responsible development of travel and tourism in, from, and within the Asia-Pacific region. The organization provides its more than 800 member organizations, including 95 national and municipal tourism authorities, 20 international airlines and airports, 102 hospitality companies, and 70 educational institutions, as well as over 4,000 young tourism professionals worldwide, with coordinated advocacy, in-depth research, and innovative events. The PATA network also supports the grassroots work of PATA Chapters and Student Chapters, which organize numerous training programs and business development events for the travel industry worldwide. Thousands of travel professionals belong to the 35 local PATA Chapters worldwide, while hundreds of students are members of the 22 PATA Student Chapters. The PATAmPOWER platform delivers unique data, forecasts, and insights from the PATA Strategic Intelligence Centre directly to members' desktop and mobile devices worldwide. PATA has been headquartered in Bangkok since 1998. The association also maintains official offices or representatives in Beijing and London.

SustainableFirst.com supports the efforts of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). Learn more at www.SustainableFirst.com