By
Anthony Tan
VIRGIN
Communications
The
PATA Gold Awards recognise exceptional achievement in a variety of endeavours,
acknowledging and rewarding the very best that the Asia Pacific’s travel
industry has to offer.
This
year’s awards attracted 200 entries from 87 organisations and individuals
worldwide. The 34 winners were selected by an independent judging committee
consisting of 14 senior executives from the travel, tourism and
hospitality sectors.
These
awards generously supported and sponsored since 1995 by the Macao Government
Tourism Office (MGTO) this year recognise the achievements of 27 separate
organisations and individuals.
The
awards ceremony will take place in Langkawi, Malaysia on September 14 during
PATA Travel Mart 2018.
The
34 Grand and Gold Awards will be presented to organisations such as Langkawi
Development Authority, Tourism Malaysia, AirAsia and The Frangipani Langkawi
Resort & Spa, all four from Malaysia.
 |
| The Iconic Eagle of Langkawi Islands Located at Dataran Lang at Kuah |
Other
winners include the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, UAE; Hong Kong
Tourism Board (HKTB); Jetwing Hotels Ltd, Sri Lanka; Kerala Tourism, India;
Marianas Visitors Authority; Melco Resorts and Entertainment, Macao; DMC,
India; Amadeus Asia Ltd, Thailand; and Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
This
year’s awards attracted 200 entries from 87 organisations and individuals
worldwide. See full list
below.
 |
Maria Helena de Fernandes,
MGTO Director
|
MGTO director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes said,
“This year’s PATA Gold Awards winners present us with yet another wide array of
remarkable accomplishments in the different branches of the tourism industry.
“MGTO
is honoured to help facilitate this PATA awards programme, which for the past
over two decades has been bringing into the limelight so many exceptional
contributions, inspiring tourism stakeholders throughout the Asia Pacific
region to build a vibrant whilst sustainable tourism industry.”
Dr
Mario Hardy, PATA CEO, remarked, “This year’s winners exemplify the true values
of the association in working towards a more responsible travel and tourism
industry in Asia Pacific. I look forward to celebrating all of their
accomplishments at the PATA Gold Awards Luncheon and Presentation at PATA
Travel Mart 2018 in Langkawi.”
The
PATA Grand Awards are presented to outstanding entries in four principal
categories: Marketing; Education and Training; Environment, and Heritage and
Culture.
 |
Amphawa Canal Community, Samut Songkhram Province, Thailand
|
TAT
will receive the 2018 PATA Grand Award for Education and Training for its
King’s Wisdom for Sustainable Tourism project, a collaboration between TAT and
the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Thailand.
 |
Dr
Mario Hardy
PATA CEO
|
It
uses the principles of His Majesty the Late King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s
“sufficiency economy philosophy” in its work towards four primary objectives.
They
are to be able to continue working on the king’s principle to restore local
wisdom and promote sustainable tourism, stimulate domestic tourism, create
value in the tourist areas in order to increase revenue, promote human
resources development and strengthen the community to think and do by
themselves leading to sustainable development.
 |
| Thai Traditional Dance |
The
Environmental award will be presented to Elephant Hills Luxury Tented Camps,
Thailand for their various activities, including its Elephant Conservation
Project, Children’s Project and Wildlife Monitoring Project.
They
also organise a smaller project, CO2 offset, to seek ways to reduce their
carbon footprint.
The
Heritage and Culture Award will be awarded to the HKTB for its ‘Art is
Everywhere’ project.
Two
talented artists collaborated on the photography project, which showcased the
hidden art gems in HK.
 |
| The Iconic Double-Decker Trams of Hong Kong |
The
project was the first time for an Asian destination organisation to initiate a
photography project designed to focus on promoting art scenes, collaborate with
a US photographer and professional dancers for social media promotion, and
raise awareness of Arts month and local cultural hubs, creating conversations
on social media among local and international art lovers.
The
Marketing Award will also be presented to the HKTB for its 'HongKong
Neighbourhoods: Old Town Central' campaign.
To
raise awareness and encourage visitors to explore the dynamic district of
Central and Sheung Wan, HKTB repackaged the area into ‘Old Town Central (OTC)’.
Instead
of creating an advertising campaign to talk about OTC, they created an
immersive experience by featuring the characteristics of the area and developed
a strategic model to guide travellers all the way from ‘I have never heard of
Old Town Central’ to ‘I enjoy walking around Old Town Central’ with the
ultimate goal of inviting them to go deeper into the area and learn something
new about HK.
 |
AirAsia has been named the World's Best Low-Cost Airline 2018 by SKYTRAX for the 10th year in a row and will add another feather on the cap by winning PATA Gold Award 2018 - Marketing - Carrier Adventure Live
|
Full
List PATA Gold Awards 2018.
PATA GRAND AWARDS 2018
1. PATA Grand Award 2018
Education and Training
King’s Wisdom for Sustainable Tourism
TAT
2. PATA Grand Award 2018
Environment
Elephant Hills Luxury Tented Camps,
Thailand
3. PATA Grand Award 2018
Heritage and Culture
Art is Everywhere
HKTB
4. PATA Grand Award 2018
Marketing
Hong Kong Neighbourhoods: Old Town
Central
HKTB
PATA Gold Awards 2018
1. PATA Gold Award 2018
Marketing – Primary Government
Destination
Amazing Green Thailand: A’maze 2017
TAT
2. PATA Gold Award 2018
Marketing – Secondary Government
Destination
Your Extraordinary Story
Department of Culture and Tourism Abu
Dhabi, UAE
3. PATA Gold Award 2018
Marketing – Carrier
Adventure
AirAsia, Malaysia
4. PATA Gold Award 2018
Marketing – Hospitality
Studio City Dinosaur Hunt
Melco Resorts and Entertainment, Macao
5. PATA Gold Award 2018
Marketing – Industry
Mekong Moments
Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office,
Thailand
6. PATA Gold Award 2018
Marketing – Young Travellers
My Hong Kong Buddy
HKTB
7. PATA Gold Award 2018
Marketing – Adventure Travel
Difference Aside Reality Show
Langkawi Development
Authority, Malaysia
8. PATA Gold Award 2018
Environment – Corporate Environmental
Programme
The Essence of Our Being
Jetwing Hotels Ltd, Sri Lanka
9. PATA Gold Award 2018
Environment – Ecotourism Project
Cinnamon Elephant Project
Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts, Sri Lanka
10. PATA Gold Award 2018
Environment – Environmental Education
Programme
300 Ways to Save – Green Practices
The Frangipani Langkawi Resort
& Spa, Malaysia
11. PATA Gold Award 2018
Corporate Social Responsibility
Making Great Moment to the Community
MGM, Macao
12. PATA Gold Award 2018
Women Empowerment Initiative
Empowering Women through Inclusive Work
PEAK DMC, India
13. PATA Gold Award 2018
Heritage
India Heritage Walk Festival
Sahapedia, India
14. PATA Gold Award 2018
Culture
Online Campaign 2017: 6 Senses of Local
Experience in Thailand
TAT
15. PATA Gold Award 2018
Community-Based Tourism
Local Alike, Thailand
16. PATA Gold Award 2018
Education and Training
The Official Marianas Guide
Marianas Visitors Authority
17. PATA Gold Award 2018
Marketing Media – Travel Advertisement
Broadcast Media
Holidays Bring You Closer
SOTC Travel LTD, India
18. PATA Gold Award 2018
Marketing Media – Travel Advertisement
Print Media
Yalla Kerala Campaign
Kerala Tourism, India
19. PATA Gold Award 2018
Marketing Media – Travel Brochure
Experiential Showcase of the Indian
Journeys
Cox and Kings, India
20. PATA Gold Award 2018
Marketing Media – E-Newsletter
Experience Malaysia
Tourism Malaysia
21. PATA Gold Award 2018
Marketing Media – Travel Poster
Live Inspired Campaign
Kerala Tourism, India
22. PATA Gold Award 2018
Marketing Media – Public Relations
Campaign
Journey of Me by Amadeus
Amadeus Asia Ltd, Thailand
23. PATA Gold Award 2018
Marketing Media – Social Media
InstaGUAM
Guam Visitors Bureau
24. PATA Gold Award 2018
Marketing Media – Mobile Travel
Application
Visit Korea: Official Guide
Korea Tourism Organisation
25. PATA Gold Award 2018
Marketing Media – Travel Video
Uncommon Experience
The Ultimate Travelling Camp, India
26. PATA Gold Award 2018
Marketing Media – Website
My Hong Kong Buddy
HKTB
27. PATA Gold Award 2018
Travel Journalism – Destination Article
Angkor Away, Holidays with Kids, April
2017
Aleney de Winter
28. PATA Gold Award 2018
Travel Journalism – Industry Business
Article
The Technology Experience, TTGmice, June
2017
Karen Yue, TTG Asia Media Pte Ltd
29. PATA Gold Award 2018
Travel Journalism – Travel Photograph
Cruising through the Cave
TAT
30. PATA Gold Award 2018
Travel Journalism – Travel Guidebook
An Interactive Guide to Angkor
Dougald O’Reilly
