Nur-Sultan (Kazakhstan) – October 7, 2019 (travelindex.com) – In line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has announced its motto for 2020: “Partnerships for the Future.” As emphasized in the SDGs, the focus of Goal 17 – Strengthening the Means of Implementation and Revitalizing the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development – ​​is on partnerships to achieve the goals.

The announcement was made by PATA CEO Dr. Mario Hardy during the PATA Board meeting on Saturday, September 21st in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, which took place in conjunction with the PATA Travel Mart 2019.

“The world is experiencing dramatic social, political, environmental, and economic changes, particularly with regard to the potentially irreversible damage that climate change is inflicting on our planet. Against this backdrop, it is urgently necessary to work towards the development of a more responsible and sustainable travel and tourism industry,” said Dr. Mario Hardy, CEO of PATA. “The challenges we face are complex and require coordination among all industry stakeholders across all sectors. Only through collective efforts can we preserve and protect the world for future generations.”

As a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism in, from and within the Asia-Pacific region, PATA continues to promote sustainability and social responsibility by building relationships with like-minded organizations to enhance the sustainable growth, value and quality of travel and tourism in, from and within the region.

Furthermore, the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development offers an ambitious program for peace, prosperity, people, and the planet. At its core are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which call upon all countries and organizations to take action to end poverty, combat inequality and injustice, and address climate change by 2030.

To achieve such goals, PATA recognizes the need to collaborate with both the public and private sectors and invites all tourism stakeholders to commit to the well-being of the planet and to contribute together to achieving the SDGs within the framework of PATA's 2020 vision: "Partnerships for the Future".

The annual theme will shape all of the association's activities throughout the calendar year and contribute to improving the strategic direction and forward-looking planning of all PATA business areas. Furthermore, PATA will utilize initiatives addressing the theme as a multifaceted PR campaign to raise awareness of the need for a sustainable future both within its member community and in the wider public.

In line with its vision for the coming year, the recently concluded partnership between ADB Ventures and Plug and Play represents the first step for PATA to empower its hospitality members to have a positive impact on countries, destinations, local communities and the surrounding environment.

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 coordinated advocacy, in-depth research, and innovative events to its more than 800 member organizations, including 95 national, regional, and municipal tourism authorities; 20 international airlines and airports; 102 hospitality companies; 70 educational institutions; and over 100 Young Tourism Professionals (YTPs) worldwide. 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 around the globe. 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 platform <a href="pata.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=40516b5a300441f576f4dca37&id=29e41e900f&e=7aaebd6022&quot; target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="www.google.com/url?q=" delivers unparalleled data, forecasts, and insights from the PATA Strategic Intelligence Centre to the desktop computers and mobile devices of members worldwide. PATA has been headquartered in Bangkok since 1998. The association also maintains official offices or representatives in Beijing and London.