Indonesia to host PATA conference

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.