PATA Gold Awards is a annual industry award recognizing excellence in Hospitality. Organized by Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), it covers the Asia Pacific region. Established in 1984.
The PATA Gold Awards, established in 1984, are administered by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), the Bangkok-headquartered nonprofit founded in 1951 that serves as the leading membership body for Asia-Pacific travel and tourism. The awards honor outstanding achievement across the region's destinations, carriers, hotels, tour operators, and tourism boards. Entries are judged by an independent international panel of more than 25 judges, and PATA reserves the right to withhold an award in any category where submissions do not meet its quality bar.
The 2026 program comprises 27 Gold Awards across two streams — Marketing (destination campaigns, carrier and hospitality marketing, print, travel journalism, photography, video, social media, and marketing technology) plus a Grand Title Winner, and Sustainability & Social Responsibility (climate action, cultural heritage, wildlife conservation, community-based tourism, inclusivity, and women/youth empowerment) plus its own Grand Title Winner. A Gold Award is a recognized credential among Asia-Pacific tourism boards and DMOs, and the two Grand Title Awards are among the region's most visible industry honors, presented at the PATA Travel Mart in front of the association's membership.
For the 2026 cycle, applications opened 1 March and closed 15 May, with winners notified in July and the ceremony held 18 August at PATA Travel Mart 2026 in Sarawak, Malaysia. Entries are submitted online as a single report of up to 20 pages with embedded links to supporting media. Entry fees apply per category (amounts are quoted at registration rather than published; PATA members receive discounted rates, and a 50% early-bird discount ran until mid-April for PATA's 75th anniversary). Strong entries read like results-driven case studies: clear objectives, execution detail, and measurable outcomes for the campaign or initiative.