Tourism leaders will gather for PATA Summit next month

BANGKOK, Thailand – Leaders of the Complete Visitor Economy will gather for the 2013 PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association) 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.

Lothar R. Pehl, Senior Vice President of Operations and Global Initiatives for Starwood Hotels and Resorts Asia Pacific, said: “Connecting the Complete Visitor Economy (CVE) across functions and cultures is an all-encompassing subject designed to bring countries’ immigration, transportation, tourism, and hospitality industry leaders together under one vision. A visitor economy requires a planned and informed infrastructure and enables stakeholders to access resources and functional knowledge to its collective advantage. That all sounds easy in an industry of creativity, innovation, and passion. But it is hard work in reality based on a need to be championed by passionate leaders. And here I look at PATA in collaboration with the Thai Ministry of Tourism who need to craft a collective vision and partnership.”

Anita Mendiratta, Managing Director, Cachet Consulting, and Head Consultant of The CNN TASK Group, will address the topic, “Strengthening Weak Links in the Visitor Economy.” She said: “Capable of generating unprecedented levels of employment, investment, trade, unity, and understanding, the visitor economy has become a vehicle strong enough to move nations through times of crisis of various forms, from economic to natural, political to environmental. To yield the greatest impact, however, it is essential that each link in the visitor economy chain ‘gets it.’ They need to understand the critical role that they play within the greater stakeholder community so that, together, the visitor economy can be maximized for meaningful, shared growth.”

Delegates will hear and learn from the Complete Visitor Economy speakers including:

• Gloria Guevara, Former Minister of Tourism, Mexico

• Pansy Ho, Managing Director, Shun Tak Holdings, Hong Kong SAR

• Lothar R. Pehl, Senior Vice President of Operations and Global Initiatives, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Asia Pacific

• Abid Butt, CEO – Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, Singapore

• Martin Verdon Roe – Global VP, Display Sales, TripAdvisor, UK

• Ross Jackson, Head of Cross-Border Business APCEMEA, Visa Inc.

• Anita Mendiratta, Managing Director – CACHET Consulting/Lead Consultant of the CNN T.A.S.K. Group

Breakout session speakers include:

• Bert van Walbeek, Managing Director, The Winning Edge, Thailand

• Paul Gibson DSO MBE, Defense Consultant, Security Risk Mitigation, UK

• Kimberly Weissman, Department of Homeland Security, USA

• Gerard Brown, Tourism Development Director, UBM Routes Ltd.

• Prof. Dr. Zadok S. Lempert, President, Panorama-Medica Group, Bangkok

• Prof. Kaye Chon, Dean and Chair Professor School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

• Peter Semone, Chief Technical Advisor, LANITH Lao National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality

Another highlight of the Forum will be the Digital Innovation Asia events, April 23-25 in Bangkok.
PATA has partnered with E-Tourism Asia, the producer of Digital Innovation Asia (DIA), to stage digital events, which include the Digital Innovation Asia Awards, Blogger Match-Up Asia, Speak-Up Asia, and the China Boot Camp.

Next Gen hospitality students and travel professionals are also invited to attend the PATA Youth Forum on April 25 at Sri Burapa Auditorium, Thammasat University – Tha Pra Chan Campus, Bangkok. Hosted by the College of Innovation at Thammasat University, the Forum is aiming to target 300 students and professionals. Delegates will also attend an evening reception in Siam Center Plaza hosted by Siam Piwat Co., Ltd. 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. Package prices including PATA Annual Summit, PATA Youth Forum and Digital Innovation Asia are also available.

For further information, contact [email protected] or visit http://www.pata.org/events/pata-annual-summit-2013-pas . To view brochure, go to: http://64.78.36.53/Comm/PATA2013/PAS_2013_final_5Mar_lowres_Brochure.pdf