PATA welcomes Noor Ahmad Hamid as the new CEO

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is happy to announce the appointment of Noor Ahmad Hamid as its new Chief Executive Officer, efficient October 1, 2023. Noor’s appointment for a three-year time period will usher in a new period for PATA as considered one of the world’s most influential business associations devoted to selling accountable journey and tourism inside the Pacific Asia area.

A Malaysian citizen, Noor, 60, has had a distinguished 35 years profession in Travel & Tourism, together with the final 13 years specialising in the vital Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) sector.
PATA Chairman, Peter Semone, mentioned, “We extend a warm welcome Noor to the PATA family. He is clearly the right person for this job at the right time. His extensive experience in association management, particularly in the trade association sector, and his deep understanding of the Asia Pacific region make him the ideal leader for PATA in this crucial period of change and challenge. The Executive Board unanimously supports Noor’s appointment and looks forward to working with him to build a more resilient, responsible, responsive, sustainable, and stronger travel and tourism industry.”

Semone added, “I am confident that under his leadership and bolstered by the PATA members support, we shall fortify PATA, bestowing enhanced membership benefits and contributing to the emergence of a more resilient, responsible, and sustainable travel and tourism industry throughout the Pacific Asia region.”

Noor commented, “I’m deeply humbled by this chance and prolong my heartfelt gratitude to PATA Chairman and Executive Board for his or her belief and assist. I pay tribute to PATA’s founders and leaders, previous and current, and applaud the members for his or her steadfast assist over the years.”

He added, “The Asia-Pacific travel and tourism industry is rebounding faster than anticipated. But this is an era in which crises have become the New Normal. Helping the PATA membership deal with them will be equally as important as helping them capitalise on the many opportunities. I believe PATA’s long history and collective strength makes it well placed to deliver value, stability and sustainability in a rapidly evolving New World Order.”
Noor’s inaugural engagement as CEO will likely be at the prestigious PATA Travel Mart, scheduled from October 4 to six at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India. He seems to be ahead to connecting with host vacation spot officers and members, chapter and youth leaders, exhibitors and consumers, companions, members of the media, and the complete journey and tourism neighborhood. Born in the state of Perak, Malaysia, Noor graduated with a diploma in Tourism Administration from the MARA Technological University (UiTM), Malaysia. In 1984, he joined the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board (now Tourism Malaysia) and served there for greater than 16 years in the Public Relations, Marketing, Domestic Promotion and Convention departments. He was additionally primarily based in its Los Angeles, USA workplace for 4 years.

After a short stint at an occasions administration firm specialising in worldwide sporting occasions, Noor joined a Malaysian government-affiliated firm focussing on hospitality and tourism funding.
In 2009, Noor joined the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) as the Regional Director of Asia Pacific the place he served for 11 years gaining huge expertise in the nuances of not-for-profit affiliation administration. During his tenure, membership in Asia Pacific grew considerably to turn into the largest regional bloc inside ICCA.

In 2019, he was appointed COO of Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) and performed a key function in the post-Covid restoration of Malaysia’s enterprise occasions business. In 2022, he was inducted into the Events Industry Council Hall of Leaders, the most prestigious award in the world enterprise occasions business, the solely Asian recipient alongside distinguished professionals from America and Europe In 2018, he obtained the China MICE Leaders Award from Meetings and Conventions China for his contributions to the Asia Pacific area.