The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has announced the election of Kevin B Murphy, president and CEO, Asiawide Hospitality Solutions (AHS), Hong Kong SAR and Thailand, as chairman of the PATA executive board. Murphy replaces W Scott Supernaw who served as chairman of PATA since April 2013 and will remain on the executive board as PATA immediate past chairman.
On his appointment, Murphy said, “I take up this responsibility at a time of continuing change, and at a time of continuing challenges. PATA is clearly alive but we need to ensure that PATA keeps its place as ‘the authority on travel and tourism in Asia Pacific’ and, more importantly, continues to support its members both in the public and private sectors.”
In addition, PATA has elected four new members to its executive board including, Andrew Jones, guardian, Sanctuary Resorts, Hong Kong SAR; Dato Haji Azizan Noordin, deputy director general (planning), Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia; John Schubert, managing director – marketing Asia Pacific and India, The Boeing Company, USA; and Philip Schaetz, senior VP of sales and marketing, Dorsett Hospitality International, Hong Kong SAR.
Long-time PATA member Mr Jones has been elected as the new vice chairman; while Basant Mishra, executive chairman, Temple Tiger Group of Companies, Nepal remains secretary/treasurer.
Other Executive Board members include Henry Oh, Jr., president, Global Tour, Ltd., Korea (ROK); Ramon R Jimenez Jr., secretary of tourism, Philippines Department of Tourism; Sarah Mathews, destination marketing senior sales manager APAC, TripAdvisor, Hong Kong SAR; Setyono Djuandi Darmono, chairman, president University, Indonesia; and Stephen Pearce, vice president, Leisure Travel and digital marketing, Tourism Vancouver, Canada.
Furthermore, Dr Helena Lo, director of Pousada de Mong-Ha (the Educational Hotel of Institute for Tourism Studies Macau – IFT) and the 2015 PATA Face of the Future, joins the PATA executive board as a non-voting member and observer for a one-year term at the invitation of the PATA chairman.
The new Executive Board members were confirmed at the PATA Board Meeting on April 26, 2015 during the PATA Annual Summit 2015 in Leshan, Sichuan, China.