SINGAPORE, 29 June 2023: World Travel & Tourism Council CEO Julia Simpson has appointed former PATA CEO Liz Ortiguera as managing director of Asia-Pacific and senior advisor to the CEO, according to a WTTC social media post on Wednesday.
Simpson said: “We are delighted to welcome Liz Ortiguera to the WTTC Team. Liz will support WTTC on its regional focus for Asia-Pacific as Managing Director of Asia-Pacific and senior advisor to the CEO. Liz has a wealth of experience working for PATA and American Express.”
Ortiguera responded, saying she was excited to join Julia and the team at WTTC.
“The future of travel is driven by the growth in Asia-Pacific, and global collaboration is needed to ensure the destinations are developed, accessible and appreciated sustainably.”
Following a one-year 10-month stint as the CEO of the Pacific Asia Travel Association, headquartered in Bangkok, Ortiguera resigned on 27 February 2023, just days before the PATA chair, directors of the board and management team were due to travel to Berlin to reinstate the association’s presence at the annual ITB Berlin trade show after more than a two-year pause.
She has worked for PATA for one year and 10 months of a three-year contract signed with the US-registered non-profit organisation in May 2021. Before that, she held a corporate executive position at American Express based in Singapore.
She had the distinction of being PATA’s first Asian female CEO in the organisation’s 72-year history. PATA has yet to appoint a replacement.
