PATA Supporting Partner of Brisbane G20 Venture

Bangkok (Thailand) – September 11, 2014 — The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is honoured to be a supporting partner of the Brisbane Global Cafe – Tourism’s New Frontiers, ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Brisbane. The week-long events in Brisbane, Australia will take place from November 12-16, 2014.

Brisbane’s hosting of the 2014 G20 Leaders Summit is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to capitalise on intense global and national interest in the city. To leverage this opportunity, Brisbane Marketing has developed a series of high-profile initiatives to capitalise on this unprecedented media, political and corporate interest. The most significant activity being the Brisbane Global Cafe, a forum that will ensure Brisbane is at the centre of debate and discussion around important issues impacting human life, cities, tourism and future economic needs.

Through the support of PATA, the Brisbane Global Cafe – Tourism’s New Frontiers has attracted a wide range of travel and tourism industry thought-leaders and shapers, including Mr Rick Antonson, former CEO of Tourism Vancouver; Ms Lily Cheng, President, APAC at TripAdvisor; Ms Chadatip Chutrakul, CEO of Siam Piwat Company; Mr David Gavaghan, Chief Executive of Titanic Quarter; Ms Pansy Ho, Co-Chair of MGM China and Managing Director of Shun Tak Holdings; Dr Mathew McDougall, CEO and Founder of Digital Jungle; and Mr Darrell Wade, CEO of Peak Adventures and Co-Founder and CEO of Intrepid Travel.

Tourism’s New Frontiers’ content has been developed by PATA in cooperation with Brisbane Marketing and theme Chairman, Christopher Brown, CEO of Taylor Street Consulting. Three sessions on Thursday, November 13, 2014 will seek to ‘disrupt and challenge’ global thinking as the industry looks to attract travellers in an ever-changing, increasingly competitive environment and will highlight three key themes: The Contrarians: The Disruptive Energy of Genius; The Believers: The Power of the Passion; and Transformers: Urban Legends and Local Heroes.

PATA CEO Martin Craigs, who will moderate the session on the Transformers which includes Ms Pansy Ho, Ms Chadatip Chutrakul, and Mr David Gavaghan, said, “We applaud Brisbane Marketing’s forward thinking approach to influencing the world’s most powerful political and economic organisation. Travel and Tourism deserves to be at the top table of global affairs. PATA looks forward to contributing uplifting ideas and inspirational ideas, shining a light at what has to date been a dark year.”

Speaking at the official launch of the Brisbane Global Cafe yesterday, Lord Mayor Graham Quirk noted that the Global Cafe was a “bold concept and a first for a G20 host city,” which would “add a new dimension to the G20 summit.” The Lord Mayor also recognised the contribution of Chris Flynn, PATA Regional Director – Pacific.

The Brisbane Global Cafe will take place from November 12 -13, 2014 at Brisbane City Hall in Australia with up to 1,000 people expected to be in attendance, including a large local and international media contingent, key industry contacts and guests. The event will also be live-streamed online and broadcast in King George Square. In addition to the event, the Global Cafe includes a website rich with thought-provoking content aimed at generating discussion (www.globalcafe.com.au).

PATA and Brisbane Marketing will also be hosting a VIP Invitation Only Cocktail Reception for speakers, members and guests on Tuesday, November 11, 2014 at the Rooftop of the Queensland Performing Arts Centre.

About PATA
Founded in 1951, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is a not-for profit association that is internationally acclaimed for acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region. The Association provides aligned advocacy, insightful research and innovative events to its member organisations, comprising 90 government, state and city tourism bodies, nearly 30 international airlines, airports and cruise lines, 57 educational institutions, and hundreds of travel industry companies in Asia Pacific and beyond. Thousands of travel professionals belong to the 43 local PATA chapters worldwide. The chapters organise travel industry training and business development events. Their grassroots activism underpins PATA’s membership of the Global Travel Association Coalition (GTAC), which includes ACI, CLIA, IATA, ICAO, WEF, UNWTO and the WTTC. The PATAmPOWER platform delivers unrivalled data, forecasts and insights from the PATA Strategic Intelligence Centre to members’ desktops and mobile devices anywhere in the world. PATA’s Head Office has been in Bangkok since 1998. The Association also has official offices or representation in Beijing, Sydney, Dubai, London and New York. Visit www.PATA.org.

Media Contact:
Paul Pruangkarn
Manager – Communications
Bangkok, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 658 2000
E-mail: Communications@PATA.org
Online newsroom: www.PATA.org/Press