BANGKOK, 27 July 2017 . Winners of the 2017 PATA Grand and Gold Awards are announced today by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). These awards, generously supported and sponsored since 1995 by the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), this year recognise the achievements of 28 separate organisations and individuals in sustainable tourism.
The PATA Award Ceremony last year —This year's ceremony will be on 15 September 2017 during PATA Travel Mart 2017
The awards ceremony takes place in Macao SAR on Friday, September 15 during PATA Travel Mart 2017. The 31 Grand and Gold Awards will be presented to organisations such as Accor Hotels Asia Pacific, Hotel ICON, Korea Tourism Organization, Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, Air China, Cox and Kings, Guam Visitors Bureau and Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority.
Ms Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office said, “I extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the winners and our thanks to all those that entered this year’s Awards programme. The successful achievements of the winning tourism organisations and individuals reinforce the basic tenets of sustainable tourism development whilst seeking to achieve higher goals such as poverty reduction. It will be a particular honour and pleasure to host this year’s awards ceremony in Macao.”
Dr. Mario Hardy, PATA CEO, added, “On behalf of PATA, I would like to extend our warmest congratulations to all 2017 Grand and Gold Award winners. This is no better time and place to celebrate their accomplishments, than this International Year for Sustainable Tourism for Development in Macao SAR during the 40th Anniversary of PATA Travel Mart. I look forward to celebrating this year’s winners who represent the values of the Association in working towards a more responsible travel and tourism industry in the Asia Pacific region.”
The PATA Grand Awards are presented to outstanding entries in four principal categories: Marketing; Education and Training; Environment, and Heritage and Culture.
Hotel ICON, Hong Kong SAR will receive the 2017 PATA Grand Award for Education and Training for its ‘Being Brilliant Together’. Hotel ICON inspires mentors and educates the next generation of Asian hospitality experts. The work-integrated programmes at the hotel cater for students of all levels, regardless of whether the participant is a bachelor degree or master degree student. The programmes also emphasise inventive-based learning that creates outstanding ambassadors for the region’s tourism industry in ‘Unlike Any Other Internship’ and ‘Elite Management Programme’.
The Environmental award will be presented to AccorHotels Asia Pacific for its ‘Drive the Change towards Positive Hospitality. AccorHotels’ second five-year (2016-2020) plan for Planet 21 goes further in committing to even more stringent reductions in carbon, energy and water as well as a range of commitments around the reduction of food waste, working positively with local communities and moving towards carbon neutral buildings for all new hotels.
The Heritage and Culture Award will be awarded to Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi. Located just a few steps from the Opera House in Hanoï’s French Quarter, this legendary property brings guests into intimate contact with the opulence of another era. The hotel is one of the region’s few remaining hotels of its area.
The Marketing Award will be presented to the Korea Tourism Organization for its ‘Korea Visits You’. The inventive marketing campaign encouraged users to generate content on their social networking sites and leverage that content to provide more travel information about the destination.
Source: PATA Press Release
Image from PATA.