PATA Travel Mart (PTM) 2026 opened today in Sarawak, bringing together more than 1,100 delegates from 48 countries for the regional business-to-business travel trade gathering. Hosted at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching from August 18 to 20, the occasion marks the first time the PATA flagship event takes place in the Malaysian state.
The tradeshow features 221 buyers from 215 companies across 29 source markets, alongside over 365 sellers representing more than 200 organisations. Participants are engaging in over 4,000 scheduled appointments to build connections, access new markets, and generate commercial opportunities across longhaul and shorthhaul sectors.
Supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, the Sarawak Tourism Board, and Business Events Sarawak, the event also encompasses knowledge-sharing initiatives. The PATA Youth Symposium, held across August 17 and 18, involved university students and young professionals in experiential learning activities focused on local community development.
Concurrently, the PATA Knowledge Forum convened industry leaders under the theme The Next Era: Impactful Partnerships, Purposeful Growth to address business innovation, technology, and cultural preservation. Executive board meetings and industry awards were also scheduled alongside the main trade show floor.
Organisers noted that holding the event outside traditional regional hubs helps disperse economic benefits to emerging destinations across South-east Asia.
Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, minister for tourism, creative industry and performing arts Sarawak, said: “Hosting PATA Travel Mart 2026 in Sarawak is an important opportunity for us to strengthen our engagement with the international tourism community and contribute to the future growth of tourism across the Asia-Pacific.
“As we grow the sector, our focus remains on creating meaningful economic opportunities, strengthening our tourism industry and ensuring that development continues to benefit our communities while safeguarding the cultural and natural assets that make Sarawak distinctive.”
“PATA Travel Mart is about building valuable, quality business connections that extend beyond the event and the opportunities they create that can grow into lasting partnerships,” added PATA CEO Noor Ahmad Hamid. “By taking PTM beyond the region’s traditional gateways, we are deliberately opening international markets to smaller and emerging destinations, helping disperse tourism, broaden economic opportunities and show that the next generation of tourism growth can come from beyond the established hubs.”
