Tag Archives: Peter Semone

Addressing global geopolitical tensions and climate change, PATA leadership predicted a future of regional travel dominance. With rising airfare costs and increasing environmental awareness, long-haul tourism may become less viable. Asia’s intra-regional strength, where 80 per cent of arrivals come from neighbouring countries, positions it well for this shift. “We must stop assuming tourism equals Western arrivals,” said Peter Semone, Chair, PATA. “Our biggest spenders may already be next door.”

Peter Semone, Chair, PATA, used the platform of the PATA Annual Summit 2025 in Istanbul to call for a radical industry reset. Destination management must now take priority over destination marketing, he suggested. Noting decades of marketing-first approaches, he emphasised the risks of unchecked tourism growth. “If we do not manage tourism better, we risk eroding the very places we promote,” he added, pointing to global pressures on ecosystems and communities.

Peter Semone, Chair, PATA, announced that the 2026 PATA Annual Summit will be held in Gyeongju and Andong, South Korea, for the first time across two cities. This special edition marks PATA’s 75th anniversary, with a focus on heritage, innovation, and resilience. The event will unveil the new PATA Index, designed to measure the visible and invisible impacts of tourism, moving beyond outdated metrics like arrivals and spend.

Peter Semone, Chair, PATA said, “To boost IVAs in Asia Pacific, we need to prioritise India & China as source markets as these markets offer greater potential than traditional Western sources. He identified South East Asia as a key emerging market. Meanwhile, PATA Travel Mart 2025 will be held from 26-28 August in Bangkok, Thailand.

PATA has announced its new Executive Board. Peter Semone will be the Chair for a second term. Suman Pandey as the Vice Chair, and Luzi Matzig as the treasurer. Noor Ahmad Hamid, PATA, CEO remains on the board as an ex-officio member. Executive Board members are Ben Montgomery, Henry Oh, Noredah Othman, Mayur Patel, Gerald Perez, and SanJeet.