The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) awarded the Sarawak Tourism Board and Chongqing’s culture and tourism authority the 2026 Gold Awards for outstanding projects in marketing and sustainability.
Two grand titles, two ambitious projects
The Sarawak Tourism Board secured the top prize in the Marketing category for a drone-powered Guinness World Record attempt. In December 2025, the board organized the longest GPS journey by successive drones, covering 1,706.7 kilometers across Sarawak in 128 continuous segments. The flight showcased the state’s natural beauty and promoted Visit Malaysia Year 2026.
Chongqing’s Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism Development earned the Grand Title in Sustainability and Social Responsibility for its preservation work at the Dazu Rock Carvings. The program, Millennial Whispers of Stone, creates a long-term system to protect the UNESCO-listed site through research, adaptive reuse, and community engagement. It also encourages international cooperation to safeguard the carvings for future visitors.
PATA CEO Noor Ahmad Hamid described this year’s submissions as the strongest yet. He stated the winners “set new standards for excellence and prove tourism can drive positive change.” Entries came from across the industry, with judges assessing projects on innovation, impact, and scalability.
Judging and industry reaction
An independent panel of tourism professionals, academics, and researchers chose the winners. Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, director of the Macao Government Tourism Office, commended the projects for demonstrating “how tourism can improve communities.”
The awards span categories from climate action to emerging technology. This year’s selections show a move toward balancing promotion with responsibility, whether through attention-grabbing stunts or heritage conservation.
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The drone record provided Sarawak with more than publicity. The footage, now part of a broader promotional effort, displays the state’s diverse environments, including rainforests and coastal areas. The project also pushed drone technology to its limits, with teams managing flights through difficult terrain and weather.
The Dazu Rock Carvings, created between the 9th and 13th centuries, feature Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian art. Chongqing’s program treats the site as active heritage rather than a static monument. Residents contribute to conservation, while researchers use digital tools to track erosion and environmental risks. The approach may offer a blueprint for other UNESCO sites facing similar threats.
Tourism boards frequently favor flashy campaigns, yet the PATA awards indicate rising interest in projects with enduring value. The drone record and the rock carvings program illustrate different strategies—one using spectacle, the other careful preservation. Both required measurable outcomes, whether in audience engagement or heritage protection, to win recognition.
The awards demonstrate that innovation need not conflict with sustainability. Now in their third decade, they continue to show how destinations can attract visitors while protecting their long-term health and supporting local communities.
The Sarawak Tourism Board and Chongqing’s commission will accept their awards at a ceremony later this year, joining other category winners in celebrating regional travel achievements. The event will also honor top chapters and student groups for their contributions to the industry.