PATA helps promote members overseas
JAKARTA (JP): The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) will help its members stricken by the region's currency crisis and forest fires promote their business overseas.
PATA's chief executive officer, Joseph A. McInerney, said the association held a forum in Jakarta yesterday to gather information especially relating to the haze problem before promoting the city's tourist potential.
He said that after Jakarta, the association would also hold similar forums in Bali, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Macau and Hong Kong.
The program would especially be arranged to encourage international travelers to visit the Asia and Pacific region, McInerney told The Jakarta Post after a meeting with Indonesian tourist officials and executives.
"The action plan -- a series of short-term, tactical marketing and communications programs -- is to assist our members. The currency devaluations, stock market upheavals and fire-related haze in the areas of Southeast Asia have hurt the region's travel and tourist industry," he said.
The meeting yesterday was attended by Director General of Tourism Andi Mappi Sammeng, chairperson of the Indonesian Tourism Promotion Board Wuryastuti Sunario and chairperson of the PATA Indonesia chapter Meity Robot.
"PATA was looking for input, suggestions and concerns from its members," said McInerney who joined PATA as chief executive only early last month.
He said the association would also hold similar meetings next year in East, Northeast and North Asia and the South Pacific.
He said that the association's program would have seven major activities.
Starting this month, PATA's bimonthly news release "What's New in Pacific Asia" is, for example, placing special emphasis on bargains and promotions being offered by the organization's members. The news also is posted on the Internet at www.pata.org under "Travel News".
The listing of special bargains and promotions would also be provided to all 79 PATA chapters for distribution to member travel agents.
Travel agent workshops in Australia and New Zealand are being organized during the first half of 1998 to promote travel to Asia. Coupled with the sessions will be media events for consumer and trade reporters.
PATA and TIME magazine are collaborating to offer communicators workshops throughout the region. The two-day workshops are designed to help mid-level public relations employees improve their media relations skills. The initial workshop is being held in Jakarta today. (icn)