PATA helps promote members overseas
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)