The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has named Ms. Lizam Dorji, CEO of MICE Bhutan, the Grand Winner of the 2026 PATA Face of the Future Award, recognizing her leadership, innovation, and commitment to sustainable tourism development.
Shaping Bhutan’s MICE Sector
As CEO of MICE Bhutan, a subsidiary of Druk Asia, Dorji is actively shaping the development of Bhutan’s Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) sector. She returned to Bhutan after more than five years in Thailand, where she managed international conferences, United Nations events, and large-scale conventions involving up to 4,000 participants at the Royal Cliff Hotels Group and Pattaya Exhibition and Convention Hall. Dorji aims to create professional opportunities for young Bhutanese nationals while positioning the nation as a destination for meaningful global dialogue.
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Beyond business events, her commitment to responsible tourism includes a partnership with the Youth Development Fund to plant 2,664 flowering trees with guests over three years and collaboration with the Department of Culture to help revitalize three nationally significant museums. This work demonstrates how tourism can create lasting benefits for communities while preserving cultural and environmental values. As the 2026 winner, she will serve on the PATA Board for one year beginning in 2027, representing the youth community and bringing the perspectives of the next generation of tourism leaders to the Association’s leadership.
Leadership and Responsibility
Dorji emphasized that this recognition is not just a personal milestone but a reflection of the many young tourism professionals across the region working to shape a more sustainable and meaningful future. “Winning the PATA Face of the Future 2026 award is an incredible honour, and I am deeply grateful to PATA and everyone who has supported my journey,” she said. “This recognition deeply motivates me to do more, push boundaries, and empower the next generation of tourism leaders.” Dorji hopes to inspire other young professionals to view travel not merely as a career, but as a meaningful platform to protect cultural heritage, uplift host communities, and preserve the environment.
The PATA Face of the Future Award, established in 2002, is the association’s most prestigious honour for emerging leaders in the travel and tourism industry. This year, the judging process was particularly challenging due to a record number of applications and an exceptionally high calibre of entries. “Each submission demonstrated the talent, creativity and commitment that make them among the finest in the travel and tourism industry,” said PATA CEO Noor Ahmad Hamid.
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Four Emerging Leaders Recognised
In addition to the Grand Winner, four outstanding young tourism professionals were recognized for their achievements in key areas of tourism development. Mr. Abdulla Iyaan Ahmed, a Maldivian national and final-year student at Taylor’s University, received the Special Recognition for Student Excellence. He previously served as President of the PATA Malaysia Taylor’s Student Chapter and the PATA Malaysia Chapter Student Wing. Under his leadership, the chapter delivered initiatives including destination trips, a Youth Symposium debate attended by more than 200 students, and a student talk series. Beyond PATA, Ahmed has helped organize more than 40 events through Taylor’s University Student Council and gained experience in destination marketing and marine conservation through organizations including Visit Maldives Corporation and the Olive Ridley Project.
Ms. Orawan Dinsor, Team Leader – Travelplan (Latin Markets) at Asian Trails, was recognized for Strategic Management. Since 2024, she has led the Latin team for the Travelplan Project, managing operations that welcome more than 1,000 Spanish travelers each month. A Thai, English and Spanish speaker, Dinsor places collaboration, empathy and empowerment at the center of her leadership approach and is committed to creating meaningful connections between travelers, destinations and local communities. “Strategy is not just about making the right decisions—it is about empowering the right people to make a difference,” she said.
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Ms. Alevtina Borodulina, Lead Heritage Consultant at Aquamarine Projects, received the Special Recognition for Leadership. A social anthropologist by training, she has conducted fieldwork across Russia and Europe and developed immersive exhibition concepts, multimedia storytelling and cultural projects that place communities and their stories at the center of visitor experiences. In 2024, she spent six months conducting ethnographic fieldwork with the Bidayuh indigenous community in Sarawak, Malaysia, building trust with the community and translating local knowledge into practical frameworks for cultural identity and ethical, participatory community engagement. Her work reflects a commitment to developing tourism that shares culture responsibly while ensuring communities play a meaningful role in shaping how their heritage is presented.
Ms. Uyanga Galbadrakh, Co-Founder & CEO of WildMongolia, was recognized for Sustainability Initiatives. After working in IT and strategy consulting in Tokyo, she returned to Mongolia in 2022 and co-founded WildMongolia with a vision of making nomadic life economically viable while preserving Mongolia’s cultural heritage. Under her leadership, the company has grown into the second-largest player in Mongolia’s luxury tourism market, while its Pop-Up Ger Camp in western Mongolia is designed and led by local Mongolian and Kazakh nomads, supporting 50 families directly and more than 300 people indirectly since April 2025. Galbadrakh has also supported conservation initiatives, including a program providing winter care for orphaned bear cubs, with five cubs successfully released since April 2025.