With Covid-19 accelerating the digital agenda among travel and tourism organisations keen to stay ahead of the game, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is set to organise PATA Beyond: Travel Recovery Solutions from February 8-11, 2021, giving travel and technology solution providers a platform to showcase their innovative products and services in the Asia-Pacific region.

The fully virtual experience will allow buyers and exhibitors from across the globe to connect and access the full event programme.

PATA CEO Mario Hardy said: “Before the outbreak of Covid-19, the travel and tourism industry was on the cusp of a technological revolution, however, the pandemic has greatly accelerated the shift to industry 4.0 with the rise of virtual events and meetings, contactless payments, contact tracing software, etc.

“Furthermore, the pandemic has greatly shifted travellers’ behaviours, travel-planning habits and expectations, while creating a new set of protocols and guidelines for the industry to implement.

“In the post Covid-19 era, the businesses that will dominate the landscape will be those that are agile and efficient, embrace technology, have a distributed workforce, and offer a mix of physical and digital assets in their service offerings.”

The four-day event will showcase organisations whose products, platforms or services – both tech and non-tech solutions – can play a role in the next evolution of the travel and tourism landscape. In addition, the event will include panel discussions, live pitch sessions and other opportunities for participants to connect with key decision-makers of tourism organisations from both the public and private sectors, drawing from the vast network of PATA members, chapters and online community around the world.

Organisations providing travel recovery solutions in data, insights and analytics; payment technology; health/hygiene; consulting/advisory; security management; technology infrastructure; smartphone/mobile; sustainability/social responsibility; virtual experiences, and artificial intelligence/AR/VR, are invited to exhibit at the event.

In support of its members and industry colleagues, PATA is offering exhibition fees at significantly below market rates. PATA members can take advantage of the complimentary exhibitor package, while the fee for PATA Chapter members is US$250 and US$500 for non-members. Visitor registration is complimentary for all.

“Whether you work in digital, operations or marketing within the travel sector, PATA Beyond provides you with the perfect opportunity to meet with leading solution providers of key technologies and innovative approaches to embrace the next evolution of the travel and tourism industry,” added Hardy.