PATA to expand chapters
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The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) will aim to add 12 more regional chapters, taking its total number to 50 by 2012. This was one of the key objectives outlined by the association at its 60th anniversary celebrations and Annual Conference in Beijing, which is taking place at the China World Hotel from 9-12 April 2011.With the theme ‘Building Tourism: Past. Present. Progressive’, the event will recall the association’s achievements over the past six decades, discuss its role today, and consider how PATA can remain a relevant in the future.
At the event’s opening ceremony, PATA’s Chairman, Hiran Cooray and interim CEO, Bill Calderwood, said PATA’s focus would be on reviving its regional chapters, which have struggled to maintain their influence and numbers in recent years. PATA said that more chapters would be added and that dormant ones will be revived. By 2012, the number of PATA chapters will rise to at least 50, from the present 38, said Calderwood. PATA will also try to boost its presence with the rapidly-expanding low-cost carrier market, as well as boosting its technological presence, with a key focus on social networking. In addition, the PATA annual conference is also being revived and the association will soon be inviting bids for next year’s event, which will take place in April 2012. The main event however, will be cut to one-and-a-half-days. The Beijing event is the first PATA annual conference for five years, with the last being held in Pattaya in 2005. Approximately 1,000 delegates have registered to attend this year’s event, of which 460 are international delegates, 540 local delegates, seven ministers, 35 diplomats and 180 media personnel. Together they represent 66 countries and regions, along with more than 400 organisations.
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