The Pacific Asia Travel Association has entered into a new strategic partnership with TOP25 Restaurants in a move aimed at enhancing traveller experiences and promoting gastronomy tourism across the Asia Pacific region.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed during the PATA Annual Summit 2026 in Gyeongju, Republic of Korea, and was witnessed by more than 300 travel and tourism professionals attending the summit.

The agreement was signed by PATA CEO Noor Ahmad Hamid and TOP25 Restaurants Founder and Chairman Bernard Metzger, signalling growing collaboration between the tourism and gastronomy sectors as destinations increasingly use food experiences to attract global travellers.

Under the partnership, both organisations will collaborate on event promotion, participation initiatives and speaking engagements, while also exploring opportunities to integrate the TOP25 Restaurants Awards into future PATA events.

Speaking after the signing, Noor Ahmad Hamid said travellers today are increasingly seeking reliable and comprehensive information that helps them make informed decisions and enjoy higher-quality experiences during their journeys.

He noted that platforms such as TOP25 Restaurants play an important role in improving visitor satisfaction by offering curated travel and dining recommendations powered by artificial intelligence and destination insights.

Bernard Metzger said the collaboration with PATA reflects the growing importance of gastronomy tourism as a strategic driver of destination appeal, cultural identity and visitor engagement across the Asia Pacific region.

According to Metzger, destinations are no longer competing solely through heritage attractions or landmarks, but increasingly through their culinary identity and unique food experiences. He added that recognising restaurant excellence through internationally visible awards platforms can help destinations strengthen their positioning in the global gastronomy tourism market.

The partnership is also expected to provide added exposure for local restaurants, chefs and culinary ecosystems while generating greater international media, digital and social media visibility for participating destinations.

Industry stakeholders believe gastronomy tourism has become one of the fastest-growing segments within global travel, with travellers increasingly prioritising authentic culinary experiences, local food culture and destination-led dining journeys.

The agreement is also expected to benefit Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) and tourism boards across Asia Pacific by improving destination visibility and supporting the promotion of local food industries as part of broader tourism marketing strategies.

The collaboration reflects a wider trend within the travel industry towards integrating technology, data-driven recommendations and experiential tourism to improve traveller engagement and destination competitiveness.