Indonesia to host PATA conference

A'an Suryana The Jakarta Post Jakarta

Indonesia will host the 52nd Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) annual conference in Bali this year, only several months after deadly bomb blasts rocked the resort.

The annual conference, which will be held from April 13 to April 17, will have over 1,000 top level executives from the Pacific Asia region and around the globe attending it.

The event aims at providing opportunities for the executives to expand their network and achieve a greater understanding of the trends making an impact on tourism.

The conference, with the theme of "Culture and Tourism: From Heritage to Legacy", will be kicked off by President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

The theme is expected to raise greater awareness among the delegates about their responsibility of protecting and passing on local culture and heritage to subsequent generations.

For Indonesia, the event is considered significant as it could contribute to the recovery of Bali's tourism, said Setyanto P. Santosa, the executive director of the Indonesia Culture and Tourism Board (ICTB).

"The conference delegates are people who have an influence over getting tourists to return to Bali," he said.

One of the most distinguished speakers scheduled to address the event is Jimmy Carter, the former president of the United States and a Nobel laureate.