(Deadline for applications: September 23, 2016)
BANGKOK, August 25, 2016 — Emerging tourism destinations once again have an unprecedented opportunity to boost their digital marketing campaigns, thanks to a collaborative venture between the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and TripAdvisor.
The PATA CEO Challenge celebrates second- tier and third-tier destinations that boast outstanding accommodations, attractions and restaurants for all types of travellers throughout the world.
Two emerging destinations have the opportunity to each win a US$500,000 marketing campaign created by TripAdvisor that will be designed to showcase their destination to a global audience. In addition, the winners will be honoured at the PATA Aligned Advocacy Dinner in London, United Kingdom on November 7, 2016 as part of the Association’s programme for World Travel Mart. This dinner is always attended by an impressive cross-section of travel industry professionals.
As part of the US$500,000 marketing campaign, the two winners enjoy the benefits of a 30-second destination video, a training workshop, destination training for their respective marketing teams, support from TripAdvisor’s creative team to help with designs, content integration on TripAdvisor, and further support in targeting the right audience at the right time.
“The PATA CEO Challenge provides the rare opportunity for emerging destinations to showcase their unique stories and share their passion for their communities that are driving their tourism efforts. As the dispersal of tourists to new and emerging destinations is one of the Association’s primary advocacy themes we are thrilled to be working with TripAdvisor once again to support these destinations,” said PATA CEO Dr. Mario Hardy. “With 350 million unique visitors coming to the TripAdvisor website every month for travel planning and booking advice, this is an unprecedented opportunity for a destination to boost its digital brand awareness.
“The PATA CEO Challenge, launched in 2015, embraces the uniqueness and diversity of different heritages, cultures, customs and characteristics of destinations. Although there are literally thousands of destinations that are well known, regularly visited and experienced by world travellers there is now an even greater number of destinations that are ready to be discovered and enjoyed. They deserve to be recognised for their authenticity and beauty and PATA is honoured to highlight these new and emerging destinations in the CEO Challenge 2016,” added Dr. Hardy.
The PATA CEO Challenge 2016 is open to all regions, states and provinces. This year the rules have been amended to include those smaller nations that currently attract less than 100,000 international visitor arrivals in a calendar year.
The PATA CEO Challenge 2016 also invites entries from second-tier cities, and third-tier cities worldwide. First-tier cities are not qualified to participate. Both PATA member and non-member organisations and destinations are invited to submit entries.
View the PATA CEO Challenge 2015 the winning destinations’ TripAdvisor campaigns in Albay and Thekkady.
Download the brochure for the PATA CEO Challenge 2016 or view the video at https://youtu.be/rYVAIVf2rIA.
For more information about the PATA CEO Challenge 2016, please visit www.PATA.org/PATAceochallenge or email PATACEOchallenge@PATA.org.
