Africa and the Asia Pacific Market

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has accepted the New Zealand Māori Tourism‘s exceptional bid to host the second Pacific Asia Indigenous Tourism Conference (PAITC) and PATA Board Meetings in Rotorua, New Zealand from April 4-9, 2014.

The objective of the PAITC is to promote awareness, enhance and protect the increasingly important tourism role of Asia Pacific’s Indigenous peoples such as hill tribes, forest dwellers, sea faring groups and Aboriginal people.

“PATA is pleased to partner with New Zealand Māori Tourism to host this significant Indigenous event, driven by Indigenous peoples, for the sustainable development of Indigenous tourism,” said Martin Craigs, PATA Chief Executive Officer. “We expect to draw participation from Indigenous leaders, government agencies, associations, operators, NGOs, universities, research bodies and media from around the globe, to discuss and share issues, challenges and solutions on how to best preserve Indigenous heritage and culture as part of the complete visitor economy.”

The PAITC is an opportunity to showcase the success of Māori tourism driving Māori economic growth, while holding a dialogue and sharing best practices from Indigenous groups around the world.

“We pride ourselves on being able offer a truly unique experience to visitors through our people, our stories and our landscapes, we look forward to welcoming delegates to the land of engaging faces and intriguing places, Aotearoa New Zealand,” said Pania Tyson-Nathan CEO of New Zealand Māori Tourism.

In addition to the PATA Executive Board and Board Meetings, the conference programme will incorporate activities that ensure the critical role of Indigenous tourism and the need to protect and enhance the authentic visitor experience are better understood and communicated to the wider tourism community.

The Conference agenda will be based on the principles adopted in the Larrakia Declaration on the Development of Indigenous Tourism, which was established during the first Pacific Asia Indigenous Conference, held in Darwin, Australia in March 2012. The Declaration aims to uphold and respect traditional laws, knowledge, land, and heritage in all tourism decisions, while ensuring that Indigenous peoples play a significant role in the decision-making of public policy and programs in the development of Indigenous tourism.

Source: PATA

Outside the Box
by Jerry W. Bird, Editor

According to H. E. President Kikwete of Tanzania, "The western media needs to focus more on success stories in Africa. We are doing so many good things out here which do not get enough publicity."

Quick Now! Who is #1 on Google for Marketing Africa to Asia? Africa Travel Magazine Online. We are a powerful, positive, influential media voice - in print, online and on air. We have been supporters of PATA, Pacific Asia Tourism Association, for years. Muguette Goufrani and I were active participants at the PATA Summit in Vancouver, and are facilitating tours and travel from North America's West Coast gateways of Vancouver, Los Angeles, Seattle and San Francisco via the Pacific to Addis Ababa and Johannesburg, among other African destinations. Are you are interested? E-mail africa@dowco.com

PATA NEWS UPDATE. Janet Antonson
Support to India travel sector
PATA is ready, willing and able to provide knowledge, support and expertise to the travel and tourism community in India in the wake of last week's attacks in Mumbai. In a letter from PATA Chairman Janice Antonson (pictured) to the Indian Minister of Tourism Ambika Soni, Mrs Antonson has extended condolences on behalf of the Association's staff and members.

Mrs Antonson wrote: On behalf of the Directors, staff and members of the Pacific Asia Travel Association I extend to you our very sincere condolences for the appalling loss of life in Mumbai. I would also like to extend, through your offices, our sympathies to the friends and families of those killed and injured. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all at this very distressing time. I know you have much to consider in the wake of these attacks but I just wanted to reassure you that PATA is ready, willing and able to offer knowledge, support and expertise to your travel and tourism industry colleagues. If there is any way that we can help your industry in such areas as crisis management and online communications I know that our full-time staff and our members will join hands willingly to provide the support you need. With the memories of our very successful PATA Travel Mart in Hyderabad still so fresh in all our minds we can only wish you well as you seek to recover and rebuild. Once again please accept our deepest sympathies.

PATA President and CEO Mr Peter de Jong and Africa Travel Association President and Zambia Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources HE Kabinga Pande

PATA President and CEO Mr Peter de Jong and Africa Travel Association (ATA) President and Zambia Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources HE Kabinga Pande signed a Statement of Intent, October 5, at the Third Global Summit on Peace Through Tourism in Pattaya, Thailand. The Statement indicates ATA's and PATA's intention to more fully co-operate, with the view to concluding a memorandum of understanding at a future date.

Founded in 1951, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is the recognised authority on Asia Pacific travel and tourism. PATA provides leadership and advocacy to the collective efforts of nearly 100 government, state and city tourism bodies, more than 55 airlines and cruise lines, and hundreds of travel industry companies. In addition, thousands of travel professionals belong to dozens of PATA chapters worldwide.

PATA's mission is to enhance the growth, value and quality of Asia Pacific travel and tourism for the benefit of its membership. PATA is a not-for-profit organisation.

WORLD TOURISM AWARD HONOURS THE AFRICA TRAVEL ASSOCIATION AND THE PACIFIC ASIA TRAVEL ASSOCIATION

Annual Award Presented at World Travel Market in London by American Express Company, Corinthia Hotels International, International Herald Tribune and Reed Travel Exhibitions. The Eighth Annual World Tourism Award, co-sponsored by American Express Company (AMEX), Corinthia Hotels International (CHI), International Herald Tribune (IHT) and Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE), was presented at a special ceremony on Opening Day of World Travel Market. The presentation was made at the World Stage, ExCel Centre, London. The 2005 Award Honorees were two of the travel industry's leading membership associations in the travel and tourism industry : the Africa Travel Association (ATA) and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). The Award was presented in recognition of ATA and PATA' s "extraordinary vision in forging a historic Asia-Africa Bridge of Tourism, Friendship and Collaboration" announced at the recent 3rd IIPT Global Summit on Peace Through Tourism, Pattaya, Thailand, Oct. 2-5, 2005

Photo: Accepting the Award at World Travel Market on behalf of their organisations, were the Hon. Kabinga J. Pande, MP, ATA President and Zambia's Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources and Mr Peter de Jong, President and CEO of PATA.

Both leaders, who signed the agreement in Thailand, expressed thanks to IIPT for fostering and facilitating this agreement. Hon. Pande and Mr Peter de Jong expressed their firm commitment towards cooperation between their respective organisations and geographic regions. On behalf of ATA and PATA, the agreement aims to forge a closer relationship between Asia Pacific and Africa in the areas of tourism intelligence and research, technology transfer and best practices, bilateral cooperation and sustainability initiatives. An outline of immediate and medium-term initiatives, that both organisations would be able to commit to, is being drafted. The Award itself, a specially designed Steuben Crystal bridge entitled, PARTNERSHIP, which "celebrates the bond of a supportive partnership which, like a bridge, spans both time and distance," seems especially appropriate for the 2005 Honourees.

BUSINESS IN ETHIOPIA ON THE HORN OF AFRICA
Learn about the Midroc Technology Group based in Addis Ababa in a new edition of Africa Travel Magazine and DVD. Details