PATA and Outdoor Lodging Association APOLA Enter Strategic Partnership to Advance Asia Pacific Sustainable Tourism Values
Photo (L/R): Matt Gebbie, Director, Horwath HTL, and Executive Committee Member, APOLA; Shyn Yee Ho, Director, Horwath HTL, and Executive Committee Member, APOLA; Willem Niemeijer, Executive Committee Member and Founding Member, APOLA; Noor Ahmad Hamid, CEO, PATA; and Michael Sagild, Co-founder & President, Cloud Collective, and Executive Committee Member, APOLA, at the MoU signing.
BANGKOK, January 22, 2026 – The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and the Asia-Pacific Outdoor Lodging Association (APOLA) have entered into a formal partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
APOLA has been incorporated as a not-for-profit organisation with the mission to foster sustainable growth, innovation, and excellence within the Asia Pacific Outdoor Lodging sector, which is often referred to as “glamping”.
The MOU was signed by PATA CEO Noor Ahmad Hamid and APOLA Executive Committee Member and Founding Member Willem Niemeijer on Thursday, January 22 at the Thailand Tourism Forum 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Hamid said, “This partnership between PATA and APOLA will lead to a stronger foundation for international collaboration within the Asia Pacific region, opening the door to effective exchange of best practices and meaningful collaborations. We look forward to jointly advancing responsible and sustainable tourism in the region alongside APOLA, and bringing value to our respective members.”
Niemeijer said, “Outdoor lodging is growing at around 11% a year in the region. It is therefore fitting that APOLA works with PATA, the leading voice and authority on tourism in Asia Pacific, to draw attention to the potential that the sector has to deliver quality, nature-based responsible tourism experiences.”
He added that demand for nature-first tented camps, cabins, yurts, treehouses, or nature pods on beaches, mountains, forests, and natural areas has increased dramatically during and since the COVID-19 pandemic. Apart from promoting sustainable practices, Niemeijer said APOLA also aimed to establish standards for the sector.
As outlined in the agreement, the areas of cooperation include reciprocal, complimentary membership access, enabling both organisations to utilise each other’s member benefits at the respective association levels. The partnership also covers research and knowledge exchange, with APOLA contributing selected research, tourism insights, and travel trends on a quarterly basis through PATA’s members-only communication channels.
In addition, the organisations will support reciprocal activities, including the mutual promotion of events and speaker participation where appropriate. Representatives and members of PATA and APOLA will be offered opportunities to engage across organisations through networking and annual events, with registration support provided in line with the agreement.
About the Asia Pacific Outdoor Lodging Association
APOLA is an industry body driven by local professionals dedicated to uniting and empowering the Asia Pacific outdoor lodging community, championing sustainable growth, innovation, and collaboration to elevate the industry’s standards. With a forward‑looking vision of embedding sustainability and cultural enrichment at the heart of outdoor hospitality across the region, APOLA aims to fuse responsible development with the rich traditions and natural beauty of Asia Pacific destinations. Visit https://apola.io/
