2011 marks Pacific Asia Travel Association's (PATA) 60th year. In celebration, PATA will host an anniversary and conference event in Beijing from April 9-12, 2011 in conjunction with The China National Tourism Administration. Travel Agent spoke with Cynthia Fontayne of The Fontayne Group, which represents PATA, to find out more.
"PATA was founded in Hawaii 60 years ago," she says. "Hawaii represented the bridge between a burgeoning post-world war economy in North America. Suddenly Americans were looking to see the world."
Fontayne tells us that China was chosen as the location for the event because it is a perfect example of a "dynamic mega economy, not only receiving visitors from North America, but producing visitors, which has become a reason for PATA's recent shift of focus." Whereas previously PATA was developed to drive tourism to the Pacific Asia region, now it is a two way street. PATA has been, for the last several years, helping North American destinations and companies to receive travelers from Asia.
The event will be held at the China World Hotel. The celebration will be the focal point of a series of anniversary activities commencing from this year's PATA Travel Mart and continuing through 2011.
Visit www.pata.org.
