PATA celebrates remarkable turnout at flagship travel agent training event despite strikes and storms

Tuesday, Sep 16, 2025 0

Despite London tube strikes and heavy rain, an impressive 77 travel agents still turned out in force last night (11 September 2025) for Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) UK & Ireland’s annual flagship training event, Taste of PATA.

“Given the circumstances, attracting 77 agents is a remarkable achievement,” said Chris Crampton, Chairman of PATA UK & Ireland. “Huge thanks go to the dedicated agents who battled both transport disruption and wild weather to take part, and to our suppliers who also joined the challenges.”

The evening provided travel agents with the opportunity to network with 12 suppliers from across the Pacific Asia region. Set up as a fayre with interactive stands, guests discovered a wide range of products while enjoying regional food and drinks, and experienced lively entertainment including wine and beer tastings, henna tattoos, Thai massages, fruit-carving masterclasses, plus games and quizzes with spot prizes.

Suppliers at the event included:

Visit Qatar
Elephant Hills
Outrigger Hotels and Resorts and Haad Tien Beach Resort
Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau
Tourism Authority of Thailand
Minor Hotels
Air New Zealand
South Australia Tourism Commission
Thai Airways
Singapore Airlines
Tahiti Tourisme
The Anam Hotels and Paradise Cruises, Vietnam

Lewis Millar from WorldLux Travel shared his thoughts on why he was at Taste of PATA for the first time:

“I’d heard from colleagues who had attended the event previously, and they said it’s a really great opportunity to expand your knowledge about the Pacific Asia region and meet suppliers you wouldn’t normally encounter, while also gaining access to unique insights. I’m glad I made the journey as they were right, and I’ll definitely be at the next event!”

Travel agent Greg Taylor from Drifters Travel has been coming to TASTE of PATA for over seventeen years and is still a huge fan:

“We always attend the event as it’s a great opportunity to meet different suppliers, stay up to date with new products, and catch up with old friends with great food too!”

Exhibiting for the first time as one of Taste of Pata suppliers, Logan Soole from Air New Zealand, shared his thoughts:

“What a fantastic experience bringing the travel industry together in one place. I loved that the agents were able to sample offerings from all the targeted regions and discover what makes each destination unique. The calibre of agents was extremely high, with a broad mix in attendance and plenty of valuable questions being asked, which is so important. The choice of venue was excellent, with plenty of space for networking and delicious food as well. I’ll definitely be back, it’s already in my calendar!”

Additionally, agents had the chance to win big on the night with lots of prize giveaways from luxury hotel stays and shopping vouchers to goody bags, chocolates and lots of bubbles and beer!

Pata’s calendar of events continues this month with roadshow training events in Belfast (16 September 2025) and Dublin (17 September 2025).

*TASTE of PATA 2025 was held at

The Dilly, 21 Piccadilly, London W1J 0BH