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In this Issue:
KNTO, Jeju to Celebrate PATA Conference
Pollock to Deliver Conference Keynote Address
Break-out Interview: Tourism in an
Interconnected World
Reputations Seriously Considered at Conference
Active YTP Programme Planned for PAC
Learn Korea’s Premier Martial Art
Tour Stop: Jeju Folk Village
22% Growth in Gold Awards Entries
Chinese Taipei, Shilla Cheju to Host Board
Lunches
Silent Auction Calls for Donations
Official Photographer for Hire Pre-,
Post-Jeju
Jeju’s Biosphere
Reserve
Jeju by Night
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The Jeju World Cup Stadium, venue for
the 53rd PATA Annual Conference "Welcome to Korea" Reception and
Dinner hosted by the KNTO and Jeju, April 18, 2004 |
Dear Friends,
In January, my PATA colleagues and I had the pleasure of travelling to
Korea (ROK) to visit the leaders of the PATA 2004 Host Committee, in Seoul
and on Jeju. We were hugely impressed by the levels of professionalism and
enthusiasm demonstrated in the organisation of our 53rd PATA Annual
Conference, the fabulous facilities and location of ICC JEJU and the
dramatic beauty of Jeju Island. Most of all, we were struck by the warmth
and hospitality of our hosts.
The 53rd PATA Annual Conference, appropriately themed
“Tourism is Everybody’s Business”, is an opportunity for the travel and
tourism industry to consolidate the unity and resolve that came to the
fore to great effect during last year’s 52nd PATA Annual Conference in
Indonesia. Your participation in Jeju is important because with so many
issues threatening the well-being of our industry it is our responsibility
to work together on strategies to protect it. Your input is vital.
I hope you enjoy this and future updates on what you
can look forward to when you register for the 53rd PATA Annual Conference,
April 18-22, Jeju Island, Korea (ROK).
I look forward to meeting you there.
Sincerely,
Peter de Jong
President and CEO
Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA)
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KNTO, Jeju to Celebrate PATA Conference
The 53rd
PATA Annual Conference will kick off at the Jeju World Cup Stadium
(pictured) on April 18, with dinner, live performances by regional and
local artistes and fireworks, hosted by the Korea National Tourism
Organization (KNTO) and the Jeju Provincial Government. More than 20,000
colourfully clad Jeju residents will join delegates at the official
welcome reception. Korean television channel KBS will later broadcast the
entertainment to a national audience.
The Conference has found a home in Korea (ROK) three
times before -- in 1965, 1979 and 1994 -- always in Seoul. The KNTO is well
prepared to host this large-scale event on Jeju and is working closely
with the Jeju Provincial Government, the International Convention Centre
JEJU (ICC JEJU) and other local stakeholders. The KNTO put forward Jeju
Island as a venue for several reasons: to promote attractions
and regions beyond the capital, to avoid traffic congestion in Seoul, and
to offer lower tour and hotel rates.
The biggest benefits of the Conference will accrue to
Jeju province. Although conferred Free Trade City status in February 2002,
Jeju is still relatively unknown outside of Korea. The 53rd PATA Annual Conference provides
a great opportunity for Jeju to expand its travel trade activities. Jeju
is trying to emulate Bali, the popularity for which soared after it hosted
the 40th PATA Annual Conference in 1991.
To find out more about the Conference venue, please
contact PATA Events: Tel: (66-2) 658-2000 ext. 114. Fax: (66-2) 658-2010.
E-mail: conference@pata.th.com.
Web site:
www.PATA.org.
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Pollock to Deliver Conference Keynote Address
 Ms. Anna
Pollock (pictured), CEO of DestiCorp, will deliver the 53rd PATA Annual
Conference opening keynote address, April 19. Ms. Pollock said she wants
her presentation to "enable delegates to blur the boundaries between their
activities and those of other so-called economic sectors and perceive the
potential for innovation and collaboration." She added: "I hope delegates
leave the presentation with a better understanding of the nature of change
and a sense of how to think about their own responses to it."
PATA Annual Conference Programme Committee Chairman,
Mr. Tan Chee Chye, said: "Change, especially technological change, is a
powerful force recognised in all sectors of society. Ms. Pollock has
proven skills as a communicator of business, social and technological
trends. This, combined with her entrepreneurial and business management
experience, ensures that Conference delegates will be highly motivated by
her address."
In 2000, Ms. Pollock created DestiCorp to provide
e-commerce consultancy services to tourism destinations and web-based
technologies to small and medium-sized tourism-related companies. In 1997,
she co-founded The Pembridge Group to develop an Intelligent Destination
Management System for tourism authorities.
The UK Government’s first tourism strategy document
Tomorrow’s Tourism, 1999, described the work pioneered by The Pembridge
Group as "best practice". Ms. Pollock received the 1999 Visionary of the
Year Award from the Tourism Industry Association of British Columbia for
her contribution to tourism in Canada.
To find out more about the Conference programme, please
contact PATA Events: Tel: (66-2) 658-2000 ext. 114. Fax: (66-2) 658-2010.
E-mail: conference@pata.th.com.
Web site:
www.PATA.org.
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Break-out Interview: Tourism in an Interconnected World
On April 19, Ms. Anna Pollock will deliver the opening keynote address at
the 53rd PATA Annual Conference. Ms. Pollock is the founder and CEO of
DestiCorp, which provides e-commerce consultancy services to tourism
destinations and web-based technologies to small and medium-sized
tourism-related companies. In this interview, Ms. Pollock previews the
topic of her PATA Annual Conference presentation and poses the question:
How can tourism thrive in an interconnected world? Click to read
Tourism in an Interconnected World.
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Reputations Seriously Considered at Conference
Travel and tourism organisations can no longer take their reputations for
granted, according to PATA Director-Strategic Partnerships, Mr. Michael
Yates. “Reputation management has emerged as a core competency for travel
and tourism stakeholders,” he said.
Joining Mr. Yates on stage during the April 21 plenary
session entitled “From Crisis to Reputation Management”, will be the
Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia Mr. I Gede
Ardika and National
Geographic Traveler Editor, Mr. Keith Bellows. BBC World Presenter, Ms.
Keshini Navaratnam, will moderate the session.
According to Mr. Yates, the session will prepare
participants to better develop and position their brands, establish
relationships with the news media and develop states of readiness for
times of crisis.
Other plenary highlights include:-
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“The World of Aviation in Its Second Century” (featuring Valuair
Chairman Mr. Lim Chin Beng),
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“Tourism Investments: The Magic of Hong Kong Disneyland” (featuring Hong
Kong Disneyland Group Managing Director Mr. Don Robinson)
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“Pacific Asia Tourism - Then, Now and Ahead” (featuring Asian
Demographics CEO Dr. Clint Laurent).
Joining the featured speakers on stage to discuss aviation, investment and
demographic issues will be a
distinguished line-up of industry professionals and commentators from the
private and public sectors.
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“Challenges for Sustainable Tourism” will feature presentations from
Prof. David James Bellamy, who will discuss sustainability from a
holistic scientific perspective, and Lonely Planet Publications’ Mr.
Tony Wheeler, who will talk about consumer attitudes to concepts of
sustainability.
To find out more about the Conference programme, please contact PATA
Events. Tel: (66-2) 658-2000 ext. 114. Fax: (66-2) 658-2010. E-mail:
conference@pata.th.com. Web
site:
www.PATA.org.
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Active YTP Programme Planned for PAC
PATA has recognised the need to involve PATA Young Tourism Professional
(YTP) members more fully in PATA Conference proceedings. On April 18, YTP
delegates can enjoy a motivational briefing session tailored to suit
younger professionals. The briefing will present tips and strategies for
getting the most out of the Conference.
As PATA Board Members convene on various committees,
April 20, YTPs will be asked to attend and contribute to the YTP Exchange
Session on how to further position YTP membership within PATA. This
presents an opportunity for YTPs to raise issues pertaining to career
development, education and training in the industry.
“Generation Next -- Progressing with PATA”, on April
21, will be the YTP highlight of the Jeju Conference. Visitor Industry
Education Council (VIEC) Executive Director, Ms. Lynn Cook, will talk
about VIEC’s successful activities in encouraging early community
involvement in career development, followed by an interactive discussion
on how these programmes and activities might apply to PATA YTP. The
session will include an annual report on YTP initiatives by YTP Chairman,
Mr. Mac Patel.
To find out more about the Conference programme, please
contact PATA Events. Tel: (66-2) 658-2000 ext. 114. Fax: (66-2) 658-2010.
E-mail: conference@pata.th.com.
Web site:
www.PATA.org.
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Learn Korea’s Premier Martial Art
All delegates to the 53rd PATA Annual Conference will receive a
complimentary taekwondo outfit at registration. Free taekwondo lessons
will take place April 19-21, 0630-0700 in the grounds of the Shilla
Cheju hotel. An English-speaking instructor will teach participants the
basic moves of taekwondo, a world-renowned Korean martial art. All
participants should wear the uniform. Delegates who attend all three
sessions will receive accreditation.
For further information on the full range of
extra-Conference activities, including borrowing a bicycle for the
duration of your stay, please e-mail
conference@pata.th.com.
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Tour Stop: Jeju Folk Village
In keeping with PATA’s sustainable tourism philosophy, Jeju has an active
programme of cultural heritage preservation that is accessible to
tourists. The Jeju Folk Village is a great example of this.
The Jeju Folk Village presents Jeju lifestyles of
generations past within a 157,100 sqm compound. The Village contains
examples of traditional rural villages -- the mountain village, the
hill-country village, the fishing village and the shaman village. It also
displays the original local government offices from the Lee Dynasty
(1392-1910), including the administration offices and the prison cell for
exiles. All of the buildings, most of which had to be moved from their
original locations, have been fully restored.
Throughout the Jeju Folk Village, artisans demonstrate
their traditional skills to guests. As an archive of Jeju's lifestyles and
customs, Jeju Folk Village continually locates and preserves both the
tangible and intangible cultural endowments unique to the island.
The Jeju Folk Village is one of the stops on the complimentary day tour
available to all Conference delegates. Entitled “Romantic East”, the tour
runs on April 18 and 22, 0900-1700. To book, please contact the Jeju
Association of Travel Agents’ Mr. Kyun Huh (patajejutour@hanmail.com)
or Mr. Hong Bae Kim (patajejutour@hotmail.com).
For more information about the full range of
complimentary and post-Conference tours, including a 5D/4N trip to DPR
Korea’s Mt. Geumgang (Diamond Mountain), please e-mail
conference@pata.th.com.
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22%
Growth in Gold Awards Entries
Entries to the PATA Gold Awards grew to 332 this year, 22 percent more
than last year’s programme. This was helped, in part, by the expanded
carrier category now offering nine awards and new awards for spa operators
and electronic newsletter publishers.
Award recipients will be honoured at the 53rd PATA
Annual Conference in Jeju, Korea (ROK), during a special lunch on April
19. Winners will also receive exposure in the PATA 2004 Conference Daily
newspaper. Entries will be on display at the Conference for all delegates
to enjoy. The Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) is sponsoring PATA
Gold Awards 2004.
For further information about the Awards and the
special luncheon spnsored by MGTO, please contact PATA
Manager-Communications, Ms. Paveena Olansuksakul. Tel: (66-2) 658-2000
ext. 116. Fax: (66-2) 658-2010. E-mail:
goldawards@pata.th.com.
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Chinese Taipei, Shilla Cheju to Host Board Lunches
The Tourism Bureau, Chinese Taipei will host an April 17 lunch during the
PATA Board of Directors (BoD) meetings on Jeju Island. During the previous
BoD meetings, at Singapore’s Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, October
3-5, 2003, Chinese Taipei treated PATA’s Board members to a fine Chinese
banquet lunch.
This April’s BoD meetings will take place at the Shilla
Hotel, Jeju, during the two days before the 53rd PATA Annual Conference
begins at the Jeju World Cup Stadium on April 18. The hotel is hosting the
Board lunch on
April 18.
For more information about the BoD, please contact PATA
Director-Board Relations and Administration, Ms. Ratana Poopitakchatkaew.
Tel: (66-2) 658-2000 ext. 102. Fax: (66-2) 658-2010. E-mail:
ratana@pata.th.com.
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Silent Auction Calls for Donations
The 14th PATA Foundation Silent Auction will take place at the 53rd
PATA Annual Conference. PATA members and PATA chapter members have until March 15,
2004 to donate travel products such as airline and cruise tickets, hotel
accommodation, tour and sightseeing packages or gift items, such as
artwork, handicrafts and merchandise. Proceeds from successful bids go to
the PATA Foundation, which funds tourism-related environmental, cultural
and educational programmes at the community level.
For more information about donating items, please
contact PATA Foundation Silent Auction co-ordinator, Mr. Tongchan Srinava. Tel: (66-2)
658-2000 ext. 115. Fax: (66-2) 658-2010. E-mail:
aye@pata.th.com.
For more information about the PATA Foundation, please
contact PATA Director-Board and Foundation Relations, Ms. Ratana
Poopitakchatkaew. Tel: (66-2) 658-2000 ext. 102. Fax: (66-2) 658-2010.
E-mail: ratana@pata.th.com.
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Official Photographer for
Hire Pre-, Post-Jeju
Acclaimed Dutch photographer, Mr. Paul van Riel, will be the official
photographer for the 53rd PATA Annual Conference in Jeju, Korea (ROK),
April 18-22, 2004. Between 1974 and 1990 he photographed more than 1,000
Prêt-a-Porter and Haute Couture fashion shows and related events in Paris
and Milan for international publications. Mr. van Riel also has a
long-standing relationship with PATA and Korea. He now specialises in
Korean and Japanese subjects. He hopes to secure additional pre- and
post-Jeju Conference assignments before coming to Korea. Interested parties
can view his work online at
www.das-fotoarchiv.com (search for Paul van
Riel). Or e-mail him at
p.vanriel@planet.nl.
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Jeju’s Biosphere Reserve
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO) has designated a significant area in and around Jeju Island,
Korea (ROK) as a biosphere reserve. The following is a description of the
reserve taken from the
UNESCO Web
site.
The biosphere reserve comprises Mt. Halla National Park
at the centre of the island, two stream corridors and three islets.
Diverse ecosystems are represented in the biosphere reserve, such as
montane coniferous forest, temperate deciduous hardwood forest,
warm-temperate evergreen hardwood forest and temperate grasslands. The
three uninhabited islets are important for their coral communities.
In the buffer zone around the islets,
fishing and submarine tours take place. The buffer zone and transition
area on the main island include forests, agricultural fields, pasture land
and residential areas. About 7,500 people within the Jeju Island Biosphere
Reserve live mostly in this transition area and make their living from
tourism, cattle and agriculture.
The biological diversity, unique volcanic topography
and the culture of Jeju Island attract many tourists. Sustainable tourism
development will be one of the main challenges for the biosphere reserve.
For more information, please e-mail
conference@pata.th.com.
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Jeju by Night
Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com)
offers the following insight into the nightlife of Jeju Island, venue for
the 53rd PATA Annual Conference:-
The Jungman Tourist Complex, a playground of the rich and famous, has a
surfeit of swanky hotel bars and karaoke lounges. It also has two hotel
casinos, one at The Shilla Cheju and one at the Hyatt Regency Cheju. Games
include baccarat, blackjack, roulette, dice and four cards. Both casinos
are open 24/7 to foreigners only. Papaya, also in the Jungman area, is a
decent pub that serves reasonably priced drinks and light lunches.
Seogwipo's nightlife centres on its luxury hotels. Whether you are sipping
cocktails by the pool or flouting your moves in a glam disco, you will
probably be doing so with other visitors. If you want to interact with the
locals, check out Jeju-si, where there is a lively student and expat
scene. Several small pubs line the alleys just opposite Jeju-si City Hall.
This is where Jeju's student population hangs out. The Playhouse is the
most popular pub in Jeju-si. English-teaching expats gather here in the
evening to swap war stories. Drinks are reasonable and there is often live
music.
For more information, please e-mail
conference@pata.th.com.
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