Bangkok, Thailand, March 10, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Organizations and individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the successful promotion of the travel and tourism industry in the Asia-Pacific region are invited to submit entries for the 2021 PATA Gold Awards. The deadline for submissions is May 28, 2021.

Sponsored for the 26th consecutive year by the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO), the PATA Gold Awards set the standard for excellence and innovation in the industry. In 2020, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) enhanced the PATA Gold Awards by introducing several new categories, further solidifying its position as an innovative and prestigious accolade for the Asia-Pacific travel and tourism industry.

The winners of the 2021 PATA Gold Awards will be announced live on September 8, 2021, during the virtual PATA Gold Awards ceremony, which will be streamed worldwide on PATA's YouTube channel. PATA will present two main awards for the best entries in the categories of Marketing and Sustainability & Social Responsibility. A total of 23 Gold Awards will be presented.

Ms. Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of MGTO, said: “The PATA Gold Awards provide an opportunity each year to capture the mood of the tourism industry. In these challenging times, we look forward to learning how public and private stakeholders in the tourism sector have reimagined the industry in its various facets amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As a tourism city, destination safety remains Macau’s top priority, and we are honored to continue supporting this initiative as we work together towards a sustainable return of tourism.”

“We look forward to receiving submissions from organizations and individuals worldwide who demonstrate outstanding conception, creativity, and execution,” said Dr. Mario Hardy, CEO of PATA. “For over 25 years, the PATA Gold Awards have recognized numerous remarkable achievements across diverse areas of the travel and tourism sector. These awards are only possible thanks to the generous support of the Government of Macau Tourism Office, and we are very grateful to the Tourism Office for once again sponsoring the PATA Gold Awards.”

– Significant strengthening of the organization's marketing and PR profile – Gaining valuable media exposure through various PATA communication channels, including the weekly PATA newsletter, press releases, and social media channels – Authorization to use the prestigious PATA Gold Award winner logo on promotional materials – Highlights of the winning entries will be published in the winners' brochure

The Gold Awards, presented by an international jury of experts, recognize outstanding achievements in two major categories. A total of 23 Gold Awards and two Grand Title Winners will be awarded.

– Marketing (14 Gold Awards and one Grand Title Winner) – Sustainability and Social Responsibility (9 Gold Awards and one Grand Title Winner)

For more information, please visit www.PATA.org/pata-gold-awards or contact [email protected].

About PATA: Founded in 1951, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (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 association provides its more than 650 member organizations, including 82 state and municipal tourism authorities, 14 international airlines and airports, 71 hospitality companies, and 75 educational institutions, as well as thousands of 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 32 local PATA Chapters worldwide, while hundreds of students are members of the 28 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's headquarters have been located in Bangkok since 1998. The association also maintains official offices or representatives in Beijing and London.