PATA hosts inaugural Youth Symposium and Career Fair 2024

The inaugural PATA Youth Symposium and Career Fair 2024 welcomed over 200 local and international youth, and industry delegates from 12 destinations. Hosted by Dusit Thani College and organised by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), the event underscored the vital role of nurturing the next generation of tourism leaders. 

The event featured presentations, panel discussions, and roundtable talks led by international thought leaders and tourism educators, fostering meaningful engagement with students. Additionally, the career fair segment provided students with opportunities to secure positions within prestigious organisations.

The symposium was officiated by PATA Chair Peter Semone, whose welcome remarks addressed the future of the Asia Pacific travel and tourism industry in relation to technological advancements. He stated, “As a new generation of talent is being trained, it is crucial to ensure they keep pace with rapid technological development and leverage it to enhance the traveller’s experience, while still preserving the true value of human-to-human service. We hope to support this generation’s journey into the workforce by equipping them with the tools and knowledge needed to excel and remain competitive in this ever-evolving industry.”

“The PATA Youth Symposium and Career Fair 2024 serves as a powerful convergence of young, passionate minds and seasoned industry professionals, fostering a transformative exchange of ideas and experiences,” added PATA CEO Noor Ahmad Hamid. “We take immense pride in nurturing the next generation of tourism leaders, as we believe their growth is vital to driving innovation and ensuring the sustainability of our industry. This edition of the youth symposium is dedicated to empowering students with opportunities to engage directly with the industry, offering them the invaluable experience needed to shape the future of global tourism.”

Simon Lloyd, Dean, Dusit Thani College’s International Programs, noted in his opening remark, "As students from various schools and destinations across Southeast Asia gather here at PATA Youth Symposium and Career Fair 2024, we are committed to providing a platform for youth to share ideas, learn from each other’s experiences, and drive the advancement of the travel and tourism industry."

The programme commenced with a presentation by Sonal Patel, Vice President, APAC, Quantcast, who explored the evolving role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the travel and tourism industry. She highlighted how AI advancements have significantly reshaped the industry's focus on consumer experience and stressed the importance of targeting the right audience to stay competitive in an increasingly crowded market.

Following this, Niramol Jindanuwat, Chief People Officer at Dusit International, shared insights on the top ten essential skills for the industry, including attention to detail, high touch and high tech, communication, collaboration and teamwork, multitasking, global citizenship, problem-solving, cultural awareness, adaptability and initiative, and resilience and emotional intelligence.

To ensure that the perspectives of the new generation play a pivotal part in the strategic planning and future development of the workforce, youth participants engaged in roundtable discussions to share their insights on the tourism workforce with their peers and present their collective viewpoints to experienced industry professionals. Following this, Eunkyu Chun, Executive - Membership & Youth Programme at PATA, introduced the attendees to the PATA Youth Programme and PATA Internship Programme.

A presentation on the importance of embracing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in the workplace was delivered by Rika Jean-François, Head of International Business Relations at Queer Destinations. She highlighted how DEI involves individuals who, for unjust reasons, face exclusion based on factors such as gender, age, ethnicity, medical conditions, social status, and more, and discussed the advantages and implementation strategies of DEI. 

Moderated by Pichaya Noranitiphadungkarn, Director of Industry and International Relations, Dusit Thani College, the panel discussion explored lesser-known career paths aspiring tourism professionals can explore. The session featured insights from distinguished industry experts, including Andrew Jones, Guardian, Sanctuary Resorts; Mike Stewart, GM Thailand and Laos, Intrepid Travel; Nerea Caldes, Senior Software Developer, Travel Compositor; and Ravindran Veeraperumal, Regional Manager Asia Pacific, SriLankan Airlines Limited.

A Career Fair segment took place during the afternoon, inviting students to engage with representatives from leading companies in the Asia Pacific tourism and hospitality sector.