PATA and the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) will host their inaugural PATA & GBTA APAC Travel Summit at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok, Thailand from December 8 to 9, 2022.

The first-of-its-kind joint event in Asia will address sustainability and best practices in the tourism, business events, and corporate travel spheres.

With the theme Defining a Responsible, Sustainable Future for Business, Tourism and MICE, the event will highlight the challenges and solutions for CO2 emissions, destination sustainability options, and procurement-oriented approaches in the context of the global and Asia-Pacific region’s pandemic recovery.

Regional and global travel suppliers including top airlines, hotel and ground/car rental brands – as well as MICE and corporate travel decision-makers from the world’s largest travel companies and travel management companies – are expected to participate in this educational and tradeshow event.

“We are delighted to be working with GBTA in bringing together both of our industry networks to share insights and discuss opportunities and best practices for the responsible and sustainable growth of the travel and tourism industry,” said PATA chief executive officer, Liz Ortiguera.

Suzanne Neufang, chief executive officer, GBTA, added: “The path to recovery for the global travel industry continues for both tourism and business travel. However, there’s also the opportunity and need to create a better, more sustainable way forward to serve the industry and the planet as well.”

Through this two-day event, Neufang hopes to highlight to the attendees “the important insights, learnings and discussions on what a sustainable future might look like and the actions that we can take in the region as well as across the globe to get there”.

GBTA has a growing global network of more than 28,000 travel professionals and 125,000 active contacts, where members manage more than US$345 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually.