On the announcement, PATA Chair Peter Semone said, “I would like to first thank Dr. Abdulla Mausoom, Minister of Tourism, Republic of Maldives for his time and contribution on the Executive Board over the past two years. His support and experience were a great asset to us during a critical time for our industry coming out of the pandemic. I would also like to welcome back Ms Noredah Othman and welcome Dr. Gerald Perez to the Executive Board. Their proven track record and background will make them a great asset to PATA and our members.”

With 30 years’ experience in Sabah Tourism, Ms Noredah Othman is the longest-serving officer with Sabah Tourism Board. She is responsible for marketing and promotion of the destination.

Ms. Noredah Othman has held various positions since October 1990 and served as Deputy General Manager (Support Services) from 2016. Prior to that, she was the Senior Marketing Manager for the UK, Europe, Australia and the USA markets from 2011 to 2015. She was the Marketing Manager for the UK, Europe and Australia from 2005-2010.

Ms. Othman, a mother of three children, completed her education in Singapore, started her career as tourist assistant with the Sabah Tourism Promotion Corporation (STPC), the forerunner of STB, in 1990. Between 1991 and 2005, she held the position of assistant public affairs officer and later as communications manager. Ms. Othman was awarded the PATA Foundation’s scholarship for Executive Development for Tourism (EDIT) Programme in 2015.

Dr. Gerry Perez is a dedicated and accomplished individual who has made significant contributions to various fields, particularly in tourism and public service. Born and raised on Guam, he graduated from Fr. Duenas Memorial School and went on to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Forestry and a Master’s Degree in Wildlife Management with honors from the University of Idaho. He also holds a PhD in Tourism Development and Public Policy from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

In his private business endeavours, Dr. Perez has demonstrated exceptional leadership and success. He retired in 2003 as a Travel Retail Executive, where he oversaw over 500 employees during his 23-year tenure. He is also the proprietor of Micromed Suppliers and has served as the General Manager of the Guam Visitors Bureau. Gerry’s outstanding business acumen led to his induction into the Guam Chamber of Commerce Business Hall of Fame in 2017, and he represented the White House Business Conference as a delegate in 1994.

With an unwavering commitment to promoting tourism, Dr. Perez has been actively involved in various organizations and conferences. He currently serves as the Vice President of the Guam Visitors Bureau and is a founding member of the Micronesia Cruise Association. As a renowned speaker, he has shared his expertise at international forums such as the Beijing International Forum on Chinese Overseas Travel and the SKAL Asia Tourism Congress. Gerry’s dedication to the tourism industry is further demonstrated through his memberships in the Guam Tourism Foundation and the Executive Board of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Gerry has been actively engaged in civic and government roles. He has served as the Chairman of the GovGuam Retirement Fund Board of Trustees and the Vice-Chairman of the University of Guam Board of Regents. Gerry has also held positions in organizations such as KGTF Public Television, the Bureau of Budget and Management Research, Guam Economic Development Authority, and the Department of Agriculture, where he worked as a Wildlife Biologist.

Ms. Othman and Dr. Perez will join the other Executive Board members including Peter Semone, Chair, PATA; Benjamin Liao, Vice Chair, PATA and Chairman, Forte Hotel Group, Chinese Taipei, Singapore; Suman Pandey, Secretary/Treasurer PATA and President, Explore Himalaya Travel and Adventure, Nepal; Tunku Iskandar, Group President, Mitra Malaysia Sdn. Bhd, Malaysia; SanJeet, Managing Director, DDP Publications Private Ltd., India; Luzi Matzig, Chairman, Asian Trails Ltd., Thailand, and Dr. Fanny Vong, President – Macao Institute for Tourism Studies (IFTM), Macao, China, as well as non-voting members, Soon-Hwa Wong, CEO, AsiaChina Pte., Ltd., Singapore and Mayur (Mac) Patel, Head of Asia, OAG, Singapore.

The new Executive Board members were ratified at the PATA Annual General Meeting held online on June 27, 2023.

About PATA
Founded in 1951, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is a not-for-profit membership association that acts as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region. The Association provides aligned advocacy, insightful research and innovative events to its member organisations, which includes government, state and city tourism bodies; international airlines and airports; hospitality organisations, and educational institutions, as well as thousands of young tourism professional (YTP) members across the world. The PATA network also embraces the grassroots activism of the PATA Chapters and Student Chapters, who organise numerous travel industry training programmes and business development events across the world. Thousands of travel professionals belong to the 32 local PATA Chapters worldwide, while hundreds of students are members of the 28 PATA Student Chapters globally. The PATAmPOWER platform delivers unrivalled data, forecasts and insights from the PATA Strategic Intelligence Centre to members’ desktops and mobile devices anywhere in the world. PATA’s Head Office has been in Bangkok since 1998. The Association also has an official office in Beijing. Visit www.PATA.org.