Foreign delegates to attend PATA conference

Foreign delegates to attend PATA conference

The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali

President Megawati Soekarnoputri has confirmed that she will
open the 52nd Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) conference
in Nusa Dua, Bali on Monday.

More than 732 foreign delegates from 42 countries had
confirmed they would attend the six-day meeting, despite concerns
over the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) disease.

"Last Wednesday, we received (confirmation) from only around
595 (foreign) participants, but as of Thursday morning, we have
received additional confirmations," said I Gede Pitana, head of
Bali Tourism Office on Thursday.

The annual PATA meeting will discuss various issues on
tourism, security, culture, environment and other tourism related
issues.

A number of distinguished speakers, including travel
experts, travel and hotel businesspeople and academic
scholars will share their views and experiences with
participating delegates during the conference, which
will end on April 17.

Among the distinguished speakers are Joseph
A. Mclnerney (CEO of the American Hotel &
Lodging Association), Michael D. Gehrisch (CEO of the
International Association of Convention Visitor Bureaus) and Dawn
Drew (vice president & publisher of National Geographic Traveler,
USA).

In addition, local and international media including
CNN, BBC World, National Geographic and
hundreds of travel publications from Asia-Pacific
regions will cover the conference.

To anticipate the possible entrance of those suffering
from SARS, the Ngurah Rai airport has planned to
increase its screening system, as well as to equip its sanitation
and waste processing plants in order to prevent the
deadly virus from spreading.