KUCHING, 21 June 2023: Pacific Asia Travel Association’s faithful members and VIPs attend the PATA Destination Experience Forum and Mart 2023 in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, this week, 21 to 23 June.
Many of the association’s members have just returned from attending PATA’s Annual Summit and Adventure Mart hosted in Pokhara, Nepal 30 May to 2 June. In Kuching, the mart component will focus on sustainable tourism content led by Sarawak, a long-time pioneer in ecotourism and conservation.
Following the welcome dinner hosted by the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry & Performing Arts Sarawak on Tuesday, the event gets up to full speed with a full-day forum and mart on 22 June and a travel mart with themed conference sessions on the sidelines during the closing day Friday.
Sarawak Tourism Board will host all delegates at the opening night of the Rainforest World Music Festival on Friday evening, 23 June, noting it is “not only about music but also the platform sends a strong message about responsible tourism”.
STB uses RWMF ticket revenue and sponsorships to drive its green initiatives involving projects that aim to plant 35 million tree saplings by 2025.
PATA Destination Experience Forum and Mart 2023 (PDFM 2023) deliver a line-up of industry leaders who will speak on various topics about responsible tourism to give the audience an analytical and practical understanding of sustainable tourism.
Subjects covered at the forum and conference sessions focus on Ecotourism, Gastronomy Tourism, Adventure Travel, Destination Management and Digital Marketing.
The event comprises four components – Destination Experiences, a Conference, a B2B Adventure Travel Trade Show and various networking opportunities.
Top-of-mind themes at the forum and conference sessions focus on Ecotourism, Gastronomy Tourism, Adventure Travel, Destination Management and Digital Marketing.
Commenting on the role of gastronomy tourism Sarawak Tourism Board CEO Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh Askor noted the theme suits Sarawak perfectly, as its capital city Kuching was recognised as the “City of Gastronomy” by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s Creative Cities Network (UCCN) in 2021.
“Sarawak’s diversity in ethnicities and culture has created a wealth of authentic dishes and food that are staples of the indigenous households, passed down through generations, making Sarawak not only a destination rich with nature and culture but also a place to enjoy and relish in a variety of local foods,” commented Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh Askor.
Kuching is the capital city of Sarawak, Malaysia, located along the southwest tip of the island of Borneo, the third largest island in the world. A vibrant city well known for its culture, adventure, nature, food, and festival elements. Visitors can enjoy pristine rainforests, meet orangutans, spot the world’s largest flower, the Rafflesia, check out the second largest museum in Southeast Asia, the Borneo Cultures Museum, and find the rare proboscis monkey endemic to Borneo at the oldest national park in Sarawak, Bako National Park.
For more information visit www.sarawaktourism.com
