The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) announced the winners of the PATA Gold Awards 2020. Supported and sponsored by the Macao Government Tourist Office (MGTO) for the last 25 years, this year’s awards recognise the achievements of 23 organisations and individuals. PATA presented 20 Gold Awards to such organisations as Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts; Department of Tourism, Government of Karnataka; Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA); Kazakh Tourism National Company JSC; Macao Government Tourism Office; Mekong River Tourism; Outrigger Hospitality Group; Sampan Travel; SriLankan Airlines Ltd.; Taylor’s University; Tourism Authority of Thailand, and TTG Asia Media Pte Ltd. The winners were announced during the Online PATA Gold Awards Presentation as part of Virtual PATA Travel Mart 2020, taking place from September 23-27.
Ms Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of MGTO, said, “I commend all PATA Gold Awards participants for keeping alive the spirit of innovation, helping to raise the bar across all sectors of the industry. As we look forward to restarting tourism in the ‘new normal’, more than ever we will have to come up with solutions ‘outside the box’ to ensure that tourism is not only safe, but also seamless and appealing. Macao is honored for its long-standing support to PATA in this inspiring initiative, on our way to transform the city into a world centre of tourism and leisure.”
Kerala Tourism, India received the PATA Gold Award 2020 Grand Title Winner in Marketing for Education and Training for its “Human by Nature Print Campaign”. In August 2018, unprecedented heavy Monsoon rain devastated Kerala. The ordinary people of Kerala, the fishermen, students, working professionals, and villagers emerged as the Heroes of the Flood. The campaign is drawn from the everyday life of people in the five diverse terrains of Kerala and explores the fascinating ‘humanscape’ of the land. The idea emerged from travellers who began to perceive ‘human’ encounters in Kerala as a unique, enriching experience. Moreover, the campaign which promotes ordinary people as brand ambassadors of the land is built on the idea of a common humanity that connects the travellers with Keralites and the fact that everyday life in its reality is one of the most exceptional experiences that Kerala offers.
The Grand Title Winner in Sustainability was presented to YAANA Ventures, Thailand, for the Anurak Community Lodge. Anurak Community Lodge in Surat Thani province, southern Thailand, is a Travelife Gold certified eco-lodge for active lifestyle visitors who respect nature and local community traditions.
The Grand Title Winner in Human Capital Development was bestowed to MGM China, Macao, China for its “Unleashing Greatness – MGM’s Human Capital Development Initiative”. Guided by MGM’s vision of “Unleashing Greatness for all”, they aim to unleash the greatness of their constituents through sustainable development of its employees, communities and responsible tourism. They build a sustainable world-class hospitality workforce with a strong learning culture that engages employees and lifelong learning. Open to both PATA and non-PATA members, this year’s Awards attracted a total of 121 entries from 62 travel and tourism organisations and individuals.
