PATA Vice Chair Ben Montgomery received the IWTA Hall of Fame Award 2026 at the Inspiring Women in Travel (Asia) Awards, hosted by Travel Daily Media (TDM) in Bangkok, Thailand, on 14 October 2026, in recognition of her distinguished career and enduring contributions to the travel and tourism industry. The award ceremony, hosted at Conrad Bangkok, honours the professional accomplishments, leadership, and enduring contributions of Ms Montgomery in the travel and hospitality sectors, while PATA congratulated her on this well-deserved recognition for her achievements and the invaluable role she continues to play in shaping the future of tourism in Asia.
IWTA Hall of Fame Recognises Lasting Industry Contributions
As one of the key categories for the Inspiring Women in Travel (Asia) Awards 2026, IWTA Hall of Fame acknowledges the enduring contributions of seasoned leaders in the travel and hospitality sectors. This category celebrates the achievements and leadership of accomplished professionals whose impactful careers and extensive expertise across the industry inspire their contemporaries and younger generations. The 2026 awards saw the participation of inspiring women from the travel, tourism and hospitality industries across Asia who came together at the ceremony to acknowledge and celebrate their accomplishments and leadership in diverse business sectors represented by the industries.
Montgomery’s Career Spans Tourism and Hospitality Leadership
With a distinguished career spanning the travel and hospitality industries, Ms Montgomery has had the opportunity to work with hotel groups, industry associations and tourism organisations. As Corporate Ambassador for Centara Hotels & Resorts, she supports business development efforts in the company’s hotels across regional and international markets, including enhancing relationships with owners of the company’s hotel properties.
Ms Montgomery has held various leadership positions at tourism and hospitality industry associations, including the PATA Thailand Chapter as well as Thai Hotels Association and ASEAN Hotel and Restaurant Association, representing owners and operators on a regional level and contributing to workforce development initiatives in the country.
Prior to joining Centara Hotels & Resorts, she worked at the headquarters of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) in Bangkok in the capacity of Regional Director for the Greater Mekong region, also as the Director of PATA Chapter Development.
With the leadership experience at PATA, Ms Montgomery continues to have a meaningful impact on industry collaboration and professional development in the travel and tourism sectors.
IWTA Awards Celebrate Women’s Leadership in Asian Tourism
Organised by Travel Daily Media, Inspiring Women in Travel (Asia) Awards spotlight the inspirational achievements of women in the travel, tourism and hospitality industries across Asia. The awards celebrate the professional excellence and leadership of women in diverse business specialisms represented by the industries, while recognising their contributions to shaping the region’s tourism ecosystem. The 2026 award ceremony, held at the Conrad Bangkok, gathered industry professionals to celebrate the inspiring achievements of women in the travel and hospitality sectors.
With the IWTA Hall of Fame Category focusing on the enduring contributions and impactful careers of women in the industry, Ms Montgomery was awarded based on her professional accomplishments and influential role in the tourism and hospitality sectors. Having demonstrated excellence in her career, Ms Montgomery’s numerous professional achievements and contributions in the travel and tourism industries continue to garner well-deserved recognition and accolades, including the recent congratulatory note from PATA on this latest industry honour.
