Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Annual Conference 2012 took place on April 19-22 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to discuss a number of hot issues for a sustainable development in the tourism industry.
Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia Tan Sri Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin in his opening speech praised the 61-year association for its role and contribution in developing the tourism industry. “The growth of tourism in the Asia and Pacific countries, and in Malaysia, has, no doubt, been contributed to some large extent, by the efforts of PATA, who early on, saw the potential for tourism growth in the area,” remarked Tan Sri Muhyiddin.
The PATA Annual Conference attracted a total number of 618 delegates including PATA members and tourism professionals from across the Asia Pacific travel industry. Of the total, there were 330 international delegates, 288 local delegates and 107 journalists. Together they represented 38 countries and regions, along with more than 188 organizations.
Malaysia’s Tourism Minister Ng Yen Yen said: “I believe conclusions drawn from discussions between our distinguished speakers will provide invaluable guidance to travel trade players in driving the sustainable growth of the tourism industry in the Asia Pacific region.”
With the theme of “Building the Business Beyond Profits”, the conference agenda focused on big issues such as the need for sustainable tourism practices, new business models for corporate social responsibility, climate change, and impacts of ASEAN Economic Community by 2015 on the tourism economy.
The conference is considered an ideal platform for delegates comprising travel-related industry players, government and media leaders and officials to experience and acquire new tourism insights from a host of prominent international speakers.
Through the conference, PATA hopes to deliver a tangible business-focused forum with strong advocacy on corporate social responsibility to support its sustainable mission. Having been established for more than 60 years, PATA has repositioned itself to face the challenges of the next generation through its Next Gen initiative.
Martin J. Craigs, PATA CEO, explains: “PATA Next Gen expresses the association’s commitment to build business with all the new tools of the trade without losing its face-to-face friendships or sense of fun. PATA Next Gen is about mindset and the intelligent use of new/next generation technology – a new mindset that looks to digital solutions, brave advocacy and bold thought leadership events fully in tune with a social media age. It expresses PATA’s commitment to a way of doing business that Next Gen thinkers appreciate.”
Nam Pham
Vietnamese
