Phetchaburi Emerges as a Global Culinary and Cultural Hub After PATA Destination Marketing Forum 2024

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The PATA Destination Marketing Forum 2024 (PDMF 2024) took place from November 12-14 at the Dusit Thani Hua Hin in Phetchaburi Province, Thailand. This event not only positioned Phetchaburi as a premier international conference destination but also celebrated its status as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. Additionally, it strengthened collaboration between local stakeholders, provincial authorities, and global tourism organizations, aligning with the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau’s (TCEB) mission to promote secondary and tertiary cities as emerging MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) hubs.

Organized by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) in collaboration with Phetchaburi Province, TCEB, and the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA), with support from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the forum embraced the theme “Authentic Prosperous Journeys: Nurturing Culture, Culinary Delights, and Community Wisdom.” PDMF 2024 delved into tourism’s broader role beyond economic benefits, emphasizing its influence on community-based tourism (CBT), cultural preservation, job creation, and sustainable development through cooperation between national and local entities.

PATA Chair Peter Semone, in his opening remarks, highlighted the evolving nature of tourism. “This year’s theme embodies the essence of meaningful tourism,” he said. “Tourism should transcend economic metrics and address environmental and cultural dimensions, fostering positive impacts in host communities. Its true value lies in its ability to create jobs, preserve heritage, promote sustainability, and build a shared economy that uplifts communities.” Semone also expressed gratitude to the event’s partners for their integral contributions to its success.

Wanpen Mungsri, Deputy Governor, Acting Governor of Phetchaburi Province said, “Under the theme Authentic Prosperous Journeys: Nurturing Culture, Culinary Delights, and Community Wisdom, PATA Destination Marketing Forum focuses on destinations that possess the potential to showcase unique cultural heritage, local culinary strengths, and community-driven local wisdom that can create meaningful travel experiences for participants, foster sustainable prosperity, and promote tourism growth while preserving natural resources and traditional cultural assets. This aligns with global tourism trends that prioritise community involvement, sustainable growth, and eco-friendly practices, as well as addressing climate change. Most importantly, Thailand and the Asia Pacific region will strive toward stable, prosperous, and sustainable growth, leaving no one behind.”

“For this PATA Forum, we are proud to bring to you Phetchaburi province, a gem of the gulf of Thailand offering a fine blend of arts-craft- culture-nature and gastronomy,” said Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, President, TCEB. “The mentioned wealth of nature and cultural treasures have attracted TCEB to work with the city since the past several years aimed to make Phetchaburi a MICE-capable destination, being able to turn those high value offerings into competitive unique selling points of MICE destination. With all your support, Phetchaburi and Thailand will help boost MICE value for the benefit of our whole industry and, more importantly, bring local communities into our value chain.”

Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, Deputy Governor for International Marketing Europe America Middle East and Africa, TAT, said “This forum holds special significance, as it brings together some of the brightest minds and most passionate advocates in destination marketing. We’re not here merely to discuss tourism trends; we are here to define them. Our conversations and insights over the coming days will lay the groundwork for nurturing cultural heritage, culinary traditions, and strong community bonds—elements that make each destination not only unique but also resilient.”

Gp. Capt Athikun Kongmee, Director General, DASTA, said “DASTA places importance on the tourism development that generates income to the local, enhances employment opportunities, and improves the sustainability of local livelihoods. The challenges of sustainable tourism development include ensuring that income derived from tourism is distributed to all stakeholders and contributed to the community’s quality of life and well-being. DASTA is proud to be a co-host of PDMF 2024 in organizing the technical tours for authentic destination experiences in Phetchaburi Province, which DASTA’s incorporation with the Province and all relevant sector has driven Phetchaburi Province to become a member city of UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) – City of Gastronomy in 2021.”

Immersive Experiences and Community-Based Tourism

On November 13, participants explored Phetchaburi’s vibrant community tourism through curated tours organized by DASTA and local collaborators. These immersive experiences included cooking traditional dishes, seasonal salt production, crafting Thai shadow puppets, and visits to key landmarks. Delegates were encouraged to share their adventures online as part of the “Phetchaburi in Focus: Social Media Contest,” with winners announced during the event.

Inspiring Conference Sessions

The final day featured insightful sessions led by experts in various fields, including tourism, culinary arts, marine biology, renewable energy, and digital marketing. Speakers included representatives from the public sector, such as the Ministry of Tourism of Cambodia, Nepal Tourism Board, Palau Visitors Authority, and Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, alongside private-sector participants from organizations like Intrepid Travel, OAG, and e-Tourism Frontiers.

Key topics included:

• “Community-Driven Sustainability: Building a Future Through Responsible Development”
• “Community vs. Tourism”
• “Street Food: Balancing Tradition and Hygiene”
• “Embracing Cultural Heritage: A Journey Through Music and Tradition”
• “Why Legacy Matters for MICE”

Celebrating Local Flavors

A notable highlight was a presentation series by Arnon Wongchiang, a hospitality management instructor from Silpakorn University, who explored Phetchaburi’s iconic ingredients—salt, toddy palm sugar, and lime. Delegates learned about their origins, production processes, and versatile applications. The experience was capped with a Margarita tasting, featuring these local ingredients.

Global Attendance

The forum attracted over 370 delegates from 26 destinations across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, including countries such as Australia, Bhutan, China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, the Philippines, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Through its focus on culture, community, and sustainability, PDMF 2024 underscored the transformative power of tourism in shaping inclusive and resilient futures for local and global communities alike.