The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by EATOF Secretary General Hyeon Jun-Tae, and PATA CEO Noor Ahmad Hamid on May 16, 2024, during the PATA Annual Summit 2024 (PAS 2024) in Macao, China. The signing was witnessed on stage by PATA Chair Peter Semone and Joo Eun Joung, International Team Leader, Gangwon State Government and EATOF Secretariat.

“PATA is delighted to solidify our relationship with the East Asia Inter-Regional Tourism Federation and we look forward to working closely with EATOF in the coming years,” said PATA CEO Noor Ahmad Hamid. “By collaborating on innovative initiatives, we can harness the collective strength of our members to support both organisations’ efforts toward the responsible development of tourism across the Asia Pacific region.”

The signing of the MoU took place during the ‘Partnerships for Tomorrow’ session of the PAS 2024 programme, representing PATA and EATOF’s joint commitment to establish an alliance for the activation of tourism in the Asia Pacific region. It stands as a testament to how strategic collaborations are key to propelling sustainable development forward, promoting resilience and innovation across the global tourism landscape.

“As the Secretary-General of EATOF, I am pleased that EATOF is stepping up into a global tourism alliance by signing an MOU with PATA, a pillar of Asia Pacific Tourism,” said EATOF Secretary-General and Director-General of Gangwon State, Korea (ROK), Hyeon Jun-Tae. “We will strive to contribute to boosting local tourism through various businesses, including mutual collaboration in tourism, youth engagement, big data analysis, and more.”
The MoU outlines promising collaborations between PATA and EATOF aimed at fostering mutual participation in significant events hosted by each association (namely the EATOF General Assembly and the PATA Annual Summit), sharing exemplary sustainable practices, and facilitating collaborative initiatives spanning from educational endeavours to regional tourism programmes.

The East Asia Inter-Regional Tourism Federation (EATOF) was formed in 2000 by nine local governments in East Asia, with Gangwon State leading the way. Through collaborative efforts of each member province, EATOF has sought to increase its membership, reinforce the foundation for further cooperation, and ensure more active exchange between its members. Ten member provinces in ten countries are currently participating, with the EATOF Secretariat located in Gangwon State, Korea (ROK).

About PATA
Founded in 1951, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is a not-for-profit membership association that acts as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region. The Association provides aligned advocacy, insightful research, and innovative events to its member organisations, which including government, state and city tourism bodies; international airlines and airports; hospitality organisations, and educational institutions, as well as thousands of young tourism professional (YTP) members across the world. The PATA network also embraces the grassroots activism the PATA Chapters and Student Chapters, who organise numerous travel industry training programmes and business development events across the world. Thousands of travel professionals belong to the 32 local PATA Chapters worldwide, while hundreds of students are members of the 28 PATA Student Chapters globally. The PATAmPOWER platform delivers unrivalled data, forecasts, and insights from the PATA Strategic Intelligence Centre to members’ desktops and mobile devices anywhere in the world. PATA’s Head Office has been in Bangkok since 1998. The Association also has an official office in Beijing.