Sarawak Tourism Board and Chongqing MCCTD Awarded Grand Title Winners of the 2026 PATA Gold Awards
The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2026 PATA Gold Awards, celebrating outstanding achievements across the Asia Pacific travel and tourism industry. This year, 26 award categories recognise innovative campaigns and impactful initiatives across Marketing, and Sustainability and Social Responsibility.
Sarawak Tourism Board (Malaysia)
— Grand Title Winner in Marketing
Recognised for its Guinness World Record – Longest GPS Journey by Successive Drones, a creative aerial relay covering 1,706.7 km across Sarawak.
This innovative project showcased the state’s diverse landscapes and provided a high-impact promotional platform ahead of Visit Malaysia Year 2026.
> “Sarawak officially secured a Guinness World Record for the longest GPS journey by successive drones, completing an unbroken aerial relay of 1,706.7 kilometres across the state.”
Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism Development (China)
— Grand Title Winner in Sustainability & Social Responsibility
Honoured for its Millennial Whispers of Stone programme, which focuses on the systematic conservation and dynamic inheritance of the Dazu Rock Carvings (a UNESCO World Heritage site). The initiative integrates scientific protection, academic research, adaptive reuse, community participation, and international cooperation to ensure long-term preservation.
> “The initiative establishes a sustainable system integrating conservation, research, revitalisation and inheritance through scientific protection, academic research, adaptive reuse, community participation and international cooperation.”
Why these wins matter
- They highlight tourism’s dual role: creative marketing that captures global attention, and sustainable heritage preservation that safeguards cultural treasures.
- Both projects set new benchmarks for excellence in Asia Pacific tourism, aligning with PATA’s mission to showcase innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability.
