PATA annual sessions: Major global tourism meet in Negombo next month
Sri Lanka will play host to the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) annual conference next month converging on issues pertaining to migration, poverty and climate change that have set challenges before the tourism industry globally.
PATA, a non-profit AsiaPacific tourism oganisation will hold its annual event at the Jetwing Blue, Negombo from May 18-21 on the theme of “Disruption, Innovation, Transformation: The future of tourism” that would create an opportunity to have global issues like poverty, climate change and migration be discussed which concern over one million people crossing borders.
The 5-day event would comprise industry and government leaders that would focus on sustainability leadership and shared economy.
PATA has been involved in Sri Lanka through its membership locally that has helped to promote the destination, PATA Sri Lanka Chapter President Hussain Jayah said at the media briefing held at the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management on Thursday.
Sri Lanka has been involved in a number of projects like environment protection and creating awareness among students about the need to conserve the area we live in.
Moreover, Mr. Jayah explained that PATA had got involved with the Japanese and Chinese embassies in Colombo through their trade councils to understand the requirements of its people travelling here to better serve them.
In addition professional bloggers have been brought down through PATA to address the local industry and maximise these bloggers to highlight the destination, he noted.
With tourism expected to double in the next 15 years the industry and its stakeholder should take hold of the challenges they face in future, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Chairman Sutheash Balasubramaniam said at the briefing.
He pointed out that these challenges needed transformation and innovation going forward.
Tourism Minister John Amaratunga believed that the PATA conference in Sri Lanka an important milestone would help to create more opportunities for the people here.
He noted that Sri Lanka held two main conferences last year and next month’s event would be the key focus for this year.
PATA Sri Lanka Chapter has 64 organisations as members and frequently conducts educational workshops, seminars, and issues newsletters.
PATA consists of 95 government state and city tourism bodies, 29 international airlines, airports and cruise lines, 63 educational institutions, and a large number of travel industry companies in Asia Pacific. This year’s event would see the participation of 34 countries with the leading countries including Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, India, the US and the UK.