Pacific Asia Travel Association Confirms New Executive Board at 73rd Annual General Meeting

Tuesday, June 11, 2024

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is pleased to announce the confirmation of its new Executive Board, with Peter Semone being officially ratified to serve a second consecutive term as Chair.

Following his appointment, Mr Semone said, “It is an honour to be elected by members of the PATA Board of Directors to lead the Association for a second term. Thanks to the strong commitment of the Secretariat staff and outgoing Executive Board members, over the past two years significant progress has been made in regard to PATA’s finances and management. Much work remains to be done and I am confident that the new Executive Board will rise to this challenge.”

A renowned expert in tourism development in the Asia Pacific, Mr. Semone has held leadership positions in international donor-funded projects across Timor-Leste, Lao PDR, and Vietnam, and often serves as a short-term expert for UN Tourism and the Asian Development Bank. He is also the founder of the Lao National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality (LANITH). A graduate of Ivy League institutions UPENN and Cornell, he spent the 1990s in Indonesia where he founded multiple tourism businesses and served as an expert adviser to the Indonesian government. Mr. Semone has authored numerous scholarly articles on tourism marketing and destination human capital, as well as strategic tourism policies for various regions. He enjoys spending his free time with family in Bali and California.

At the 73rd PATA Annual General Meeting held on June 7, 2024, the association also ratified Suman Pandey as the new Vice Chair and Luzi Matzig as the new Secretary/Treasurer.

Suman Pandey, President of Explore Himalaya Travel & Adventure, is a prominent figure in Nepalese tourism. He also holds positions such as CEO of Fishtail Air, Director of Summit Air, Director of the Chhaya Centre, President of the Himalaya Academy of Travel and Tourism, and President of Himalayan Pre-Fab Pvt. Ltd. His numerous accolades include the “Suprasidha Gorkha Dakshin Bahu” awarded by the King of Nepal in 2004, and several recognitions from the Nepalese tourism sector for his lifelong contributions.

Luzi Matzig, a seasoned professional who started his career with Swissair, has been instrumental in expanding Asian Trails Ltd. across multiple Asian countries since its founding in 1999. Besides his role at Asian Trails, he is involved in the cruise and hotel industries, and has held significant positions within the Swiss-Thai Chamber of Commerce and the PATA Thailand Chapter.

The Executive Board for this term also includes notable members such as Ben Montgomery, Henry Oh, Noredah Othman, Mayur Patel, Gerald Perez, and SanJeet. Additionally, PATA CEO Noor Ahmad Hamid continues as an Ex-Officio member of the Executive Board.