1. Background
The UN Tourism/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook is a flagship annual event jointly organized by UN Tourism, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), the Guilin Municipal People's Government, and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Launched in 2007, the Forum has been held annually in Guilin, China, and has grown into a leading regional platform for policymakers, researchers, and industry practitioners to analyse global and regional tourism trends, exchange insights, and co-create strategies for sustainable and resilient tourism development in Asia and the Pacific.
The 19th edition welcomed over 230 participants from 30 countries under the theme "Synergy in Motion: Charting New Frontiers for a Resilient, Sustainable, and Smart Tourism Ecosystem."
2. Objective
To provide a high-level platform for:
- Presenting and analysing global and regional tourism data, trends, and outlook
- Facilitating policy dialogue and knowledge exchange among Member States, academia, and industry
- Strengthening evidence-based policymaking and destination management in the Asia-Pacific region
3. Editions (2007–2025)
A total of 19 editions have been successfully delivered between 2007 and 2025, consistently hosted in Guilin, China, in partnership with PATA and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The Forum has established itself as a key reference event for tourism data analysis and foresight in the Asia-Pacific region.
4. 20th Edition (2026)
The 20th edition is scheduled for 19–21 October 2026 in Guilin, China, marking a significant milestone for this long-standing partnership. The Forum will be held under the overall theme "AI and Digital Transformation in Tourism"
This anniversary edition will reinforce the Forum's role as a premier regional platform for tourism intelligence, strengthening collaboration among UN Tourism, PATA, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and the Guilin Municipal People's Government.