PTM 2016 to host 67 nations
PATA Travel Mart 2016, hosted by the Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia, with the support of the PATA Indonesia Chapter, will take place in Jakarta from September 7-9. Puangthip Chotipantawanon, Director – Events, PATA, says there are 10,000 busin
QWhere does the participation currently stand at?
A total of 67 countries are participating in this year’s PATA Travel Mart. In terms of sellers, PTM has registered 237 companies from 35 countries among which 33 per cent are new sellers and new participating destination/countries like the State of Palestine, Zimbabwe, Uzbekistan, and Russia. For buyers, we have 257 companies from 55 countries. 30 per cent are attending PTM for the very first time.
QTell us about some of the highlights that participants can look forward to.
We will be conducting-more than 10,000 business-matching appointments for our registered delegates. The two-day event will witness a total of four speaker sessions on topics by notable personalities from the tourism industry. We will be hosting a PATA Travel Innovation Forum in partnership with Phocuswright and Connecting Travel, and a Blogger Forum in collaboration with the Professional Travel Bloggers Association (PBTA). This year for the first time, we will also have a Digital Hub, an exhibition platform dedicated to innovative technology impacting the travel and tourism business. The Digital Hub provides online, tech and digital marketing companies the opportunity to showcase their business, and is an exciting addition to the Mart.
QWhat is PTM 2016’s ultimate agenda? Through the travel mart, we aim to promote the host destination, Indonesia, to a global audience, provide a platform for business discus- sions and generate contracts for our delegates at the event. Through our forums and PTM Talks, we hope to impart insightful knowledge and industry updates. To show our support to the younger generation, the half-day forum, PATA Youth Symposium will allow students and young professionals to engage with industry professionals during plenary talks and roundtable discussions on various topics relevant to the destination.