At the PATA Knowledge Forum in Bangkok, Chairman Peter Semone emphasized meaningful tourism, sustainability, and community well-being as key drivers for the evolving Asia Pacific travel economy amid global change.
PATA Knowledge Forum opened today in Bangkok on the sidelines of PATA Travel Mart 2025. Addressing participants at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC), PATA Chairman Peter Semone called for reimagining the travel economy in ways that prioritize sustainability, community well-being, and long-term competitiveness.
“So it’s quite remarkable how the travel market has evolved post Covid and is really growing again into a very strong trade show,” he noted, underscoring the resilience of the Asia Pacific tourism sector.
Tourism at a crossroads
Reflecting on industry trends, Semone pointed to structural shifts: “I imagine it doesn’t come as any surprise to anyone that the world is really shifting quite quickly. All around the place, we see change, some of it good, some of it not good. Climate change, technology, demographics, geopolitics, politics, and even the way we think and define travel is being transformed.”
He emphasized that the central question is no longer whether tourism will change, but how stakeholders will shape that transformation: “The question is no longer whether tourism will change, but how will we shape the change.”
Rethinking tourism success
Semone urged the industry to move beyond visitor arrival numbers as the primary metric of success. “To us, the key indicator of tourism success should not be about visitor numbers, but rather by whether communities thrive, whether heritage is safeguarded, whether young people see a future in our industry.”
He pointed to Thailand as a case study: “Thailand sees revenue rise despite falling tourism arrivals. And I can imagine that the governor of TAT must be admonished for not reaching arrival targets. But hopefully is being congratulated for beating revenue projections.”
Learning from the past, shaping the future
Recalling PATA’s role in shaping sustainable tourism three decades ago, Semone highlighted the association’s historical leadership. “In 1991, we had a fantastic conference in Bali, Indonesia. And as a result of that, we came up with what we called the Pata Promise. And actually, if you look back in history now, the Pata Promise was really the kickstarting of sustainable tourism in the Asia Pacific region.”
He called on delegates to build on that legacy: “So in this time, we can rise up also and come up with some sort of a vision and mission for our region that will help us to look towards the next 75 years of Pata and the future of this industry.”
Towards a meaningful tourism economy
For Semone, the balance between visitor expectations and community well-being is central: “It’s about balancing the needs of the tourists. It’s about balancing the needs of the locals and really ensuring that a good place to visit is an equally good place to live.”
He acknowledged rising tensions in overtourism hotspots: “Asians in particular are very tolerant. But what is the threshold there? My wife is Balinese. I can tell you in Bali, we’re reaching that threshold.”
At the forum, he framed PATA’s broader ambition: “In this forum, we are not just exchanging knowledge, we are reimagining tourism in order to establish a more meaningful tourism economy in the Pata region that extends beyond business as usual to people and planet.”
Looking ahead
The PATA Chairman confirmed that after Bangkok, the Travel Mart will move to Sarawak in 2026. “So good news is that the Pata Travel Mart is moving forward and advancing and growing,” he said, highlighting the event’s resilience and regional significance.
Closing his address, Semone called on the audience to engage deeply: “Together, let’s design a blueprint for tourism that matters, for governments, for travelers, for communities, and for our shared future. It’s a great opportunity for us to really rethink tourism.”