Face of the Future

2012 PATA Face of the Future Award

Do you know someone who deserves to be the PATA ‘Face of the Future’ Award 2012.

PATA builds your people, so each year a special award is presented to an exceptional young leader in travel and tourism who has exhibited initiative and leadership in the implementation of tourism as well as demonstrated commitment to the sustainable development of the Asia Pacific travel industry in line with PATA’s mission. The award is known as the PATA ‘Face of the Future’.

The 2012 PATA Face of the Future Award will be presented to one outstanding individual at the Association’s next PATA Annual Meeting, April 21, 2012 at the Putrajaya Marriott Hotel, Putrajaya, Malaysia.

THE PRIZE

The 2012 PATA Face of the Future will be invited to attend the PATA Annual Meeting in Putrajaya, Malaysia to accept the award during the PATA Honours and Awards presentation ceremony. In addition, the 2012 PATA Face of the Future will receive:

Exposure in the May/June 2012 issue of PATA Compass magazine
Global media exposure via PATA Communications channels including PATA e-newsletter, web site, press releases and social media channels.
Return economy flight to Frankfurt to visit the IMEX exhibition, May 22-24, 2012, Messe Frankfurt
Accommodation for three nights in a centrally located Frankfurt hotel
Attendance at the IMEX exhibition, including any seminars and events of the winner’s choice, including the IMEX- MPI Future Leaders Forum and the IMEX Gala Dinner

ELIGIBILITY

An individual is eligible to enter the 2012 PATA ‘Face of the Future’ Award if he or she is:

Aged 35 and below as of April 24, 2012
Working for a PATA member organisation (in good-standing as at April 24, 2012)
Undertaking post-graduate travel and tourism studies at a PATA member educational institution

JUDGING CRITERIA

The judges will seek to identify an individual who has best:

Exhibited initiative and leadership in the implementation of local, regional and/or international tourism initiatives (including research projects)
Demonstrated commitment to the sustainable development of the Asia Pacific travel industry in a spirit compatible with PATA’s mission

The finalists will be judged by PATA Executive Board members.

HOW TO ENTER

The candidate him or herself OR a third-party person can make the nomination
No entry form is required. Simply submit a nomination letter, along with the nominee’s full professional contact details and bio-data with photo (JPG format, 300 dpi resolution, maximum 500KB total file size), in soft copy only (DOC or PDF file; maximum three pages).
Submit a video (up to three minutes in length) detailing the nominee’s experiences to date and aspirations for the future of travel and tourism industry
Please email the entry, clearly labelled PATA ‘Face of the Future’ 2012 Nomination, to Parita Niemwongse at fof2012@PATA.org by November 15, 2011.

All entrants will be notified by February 15, 2012.

How the PATA Face of the Future Award Helped a Career

“PATA enhances collaboration with academics and educational institutions and provides a motivating factor for the future and dynamic leadership of the travel and tourism industry” – PATA Face of the Future 2010, Thomas Toney Kulampalil, Senior Lecturer and Programme Director, School of Tourism, Taylor’s University. View clip.

Face of the Future Award Helping Samoa’s Sustainable Agenda

“The PATA Face of the Future award programme has been an amazing learning experience. With events and forums provided by PATA and IMEX, I have been fortunate to meet, network and learn from industry leaders that are passionate about sustainable tourism. Through this programme, I was also able to showcase my beautiful homeland Samoa, and her unique people and culture. Thank you PATA and Face of the Future Programme for such a wonderful experience” -- Tavalea Nilon, PATA Face of the Future winner 2011

“It is my honour to be awarded the PATA Face of the Future 2007. I was very motivated to work harder. Today, Buffalo Tours has increased its revenues and number of employees from 250 staff to 2,000. It contributes a lot more to the community and travel industry in Vietnam. The Face of the Future Award is an excellent programme for young professionals. I do hope a lot more young people will get motivated. I would like to say thanks to PATA and PATA members for this wonderful award.” - Tran Trong Kien, CEO, Buffalo Tours, PATA Face of the Future Award Recipient 2007

View the clip here.

“The PATA Face of the Future Award opened doors to wider networking opportunities with industry leaders within PATA. My participation in various PATA events, and especially the PATA Young Tourism Professionals (YTP) Programme, has truly enhanced my career development. I sincerely recommend Young Tourism Professionals to participate and explore the opportunities awaiting for them” - Silvia Sitou, the PATA Face of the Future Award recipient 2004

“The journey which originally looked difficult was becoming more satisfying” - Mr Shikher Prasai, Managing Director, Natraj Tours & Travels, Nepal and PATA Face of the Future 2006

“When the going gets tough, the tough gets going. It is what I believed when I joined travel and tourism industry at the age of 21 years in 1999 at Natraj Tours & Travels in Nepal. It was not an easy task to continue with the legacy of more than 30 years and work with senior and experienced people. With a strong belief of “I can do it”, it was a journey of perseverance. I started as Honorary Secretary of the PATA Nepal Chapter for four years. Then with the support and trust from the industry, I became the youngest Chapter Chairman at the age of 28. Setting aside personal motives and acting with transparency, integrity and humility, my contribution was eventually acknowledged with PATA's Face of the Future award in 2006 when I was 28 years old. The journey which originally looked difficult was becoming more satisfying. I had the biggest "open university" to learn from and met a number of good friends. The PATA award gave me more energy and enthusiasm to further contribute to the trade and seek broader horizons for the betterment of tourism in Nepal.”

2011 PATA Face of the Future Award

Ms Tavalea Nilon of Samoa is the winner of the 2011 ‘Face of the Future’ competition.

She was selected from a group of five finalists, with Sitpasu Thongsuk of Thailand and Hsu Htet Hlaing of Myanmar announced as runners-up.

There was a unanimous agreement by the panel of judges that Nilon’s video excelled in both presentation and content. Focusing on some of the key challenges facing Samoa’s tourism industry in the future, she highlighted the need for renewable energy options, better waste disposal methods and promoting the country as a culturally rich destination.

Said Hiran Cooray, chairman, PATA: “The PATA Executive Board were highly impressed by all six finalists, however, Tavalea’s video stood out. She showed a genuine understanding of the challenges faced by her small island nation, as well as the role she can play in helping to address them.”

Originally nominated for the competition by Samoa Tourism Authority, Nilon is ‘Miss Samoa 2010’ and has worked hard to promote the island nation nationally and internationally through tourism exchanges and festivals. She is involved with various community projects and is currently studying for a Masters’ degree in engineering. With a deep love for her environment, people and country, she has been described as a natural advocate for Samoa.

She received the award during the honours and awards ceremony at the PATA 60th Anniversary and Conference, April 9-12, at the China World Hotel, Beijing. She also had the opportunity to participate in a plenary session alongside luminaries such as senior government officials and industry leaders from across the spectrum of PATA membership.

Past Faces of the Future

2011 Ms Tavalea Nilon

2010 Mr Toney K Thomas

2009 Mr Andrew Nihopara

2008 Mr Kenneth Low

2007 Mr Tran Trong Kien

2006 Mr Shikher Prasai

2005 Ms Sally Hollis

2004 Ms Silvia Sitou