KATHMANDU: The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Annual Summit 2026 (PAS 2026) will be held across the South Korean cities of Gyeongju and Pohang from May 11 to 14, co-hosted by Gyeongsangbuk-do Province and the Gyeongsangbuk-do Culture and Tourism Organisation (GCTO).

Held under the theme Navigating Towards a Resilient Future, the summit will bring together global tourism leaders and senior industry professionals for a programme spanning a one-day meeting, a two-day conference and a half-day destination experience across the two host cities. Key discussions will focus on regional tourism innovation driven by artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, sustainable post-APEC tourism development rooted in ESG principles, and the advancement of global heritage tourism through stewardship of cultural assets.

The summit coincides with PATA's 75th anniversary, marking the occasion with a reflection on the association's legacy alongside forward-looking conversations on the future of Asia Pacific tourism.

Nepal Tourism Board CEO Deepak Raj Joshi is among the confirmed speakers, alongside PATA CEO Noor Ahmad Hamid, UN Tourism Executive Director Shijun Liu, Global Sustainable Tourism Council CEO Randy Durband, and AirAsia MOVE CEO Nadia Omer, among a wide roster of industry leaders, economists and policy officials from across the region.

The programme opens on May 11 at Lahan Hotel in Pohang with the PATA Executive Board meeting, a destination experience across Pohang and Gyeongju, a youth symposium and an industry and education roundtable. May 12 and 13 will see the main conference sessions, the PATA Annual General Meeting, a policy forum and the PAS 2026 Gala Dinner at the Hwabaek International Convention Center (HICO) in Gyeongju. A complimentary half-day tour of the two cities is scheduled for departing delegates on May 14.

Gyeongju and Pohang are respectively regarded as the cultural and industrial heartlands of South Korea's North Gyeongsang Province, a region known for its forested highlands, coastal landscapes, preserved temples, historic villages and centuries-old cultural heritage.