PATA Annual Summit Advance “Complete Visitor Economy”

news_04 Feb. 11, 2013Bangkok (Thailand) – February 11, 2013 – The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) will hold the 2013 PATA Annual Summit (2013PAS) in Bangkok April 25-28, 2013. The PATA Youth Forum will commence on Thursday, April 25, followed by the one-day summit on Friday April 26, and the PATA Board meetings and AGM on April 27-28 respectively.

Under the theme “Embracing the Complete Visitor Economy,” speakers from the public and private sector at the summit will show the considerable impact and social and economic reach of the complete visitor economy.

“International visitor arrivals statistics do not tell the full story,” said PATA CEO Martin J. Craigs. “We need politicians to fully understand the importance of the visitor economy as a force for social and economic good.”

He added: “The response to the summit concept from leading government and private enterprise members and our own Executive Board has been very encouraging. The summit will break new ground and help build business in all sectors. PATA is finalizing an impressive speaker list and will make a further announcement shortly.”

PATA’s vision is to secure better recognition for all aspects of the highly interdependent travel, tourism and trade sectors, international, and domestic – the complete visitor economy.

The summit and the other supporting PATA events of that weekend will take place at the Centara Grand and Bangkok Convention Centre in Bangkok.

The PATA Youth Forum will take place on April 25 at Thammasat University. The forum will build on the recent PATA student forums held during the PATA Annual Conference at Taylor’s University in Kuala Lumpur in 2011 and Lyceum of the Philippines University, Manila in 2012.

Registration is now open. Fees for the 2013 PATA Annual Summit are US$699 per person for PATA members, US$899 for Chapter members, and US$1,299 for non-members. Special rates for Young Tourism Professionals and students will apply.

For further information, contact events@PATA.org or visit www.pata.org/events/pata-annual-summit-2013-pas

Media Contact: Parita Niemwongse, PATA Communications, Bangkok, Thailand, Tel: +66 2 658 2000, E-mail: communications@PATA.org , Online newsroom: www.PATA.org/Press