54th PATA Annual Conference Opens in Macau

The 54th Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Annual Conference officially opened this morning with H.E. Mr. Edmund Ho, Chief Executive of the Macau Special Administrative Region, welcoming 1,176 delegates from 44 countries to Macau.

"We foresee a strong and solid growth in the tourism industry as well as the vast opportunities to be provided," said Mr Ho. "We also have no illusions on the challenges ahead of us."

"As you are fully aware, many of these challenges are not unique but rather universal, shared by many our partners in this region. We value our participation in PATA and we firmly believe that we all will become stronger and better through our closer partnership and cooperation" Ho added.

Mr Ho's speech was preceded by messages from Macau SAR Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Dr Chui Sai On, 2004/2005 PATA Chairman Mr Ram Kohli and PATA President and CEO Mr Peter de Jong. 

Dr Chui said, "Throughout its membership of PATA, Macau has maintained a close relationship with the Association. And today, it carries special and important implications to Macau as the host, for the first time, of the PATA Annual Conference."

He added, "PATA has always been active in the enhancement of growth, value and quality of travel and tourism for its members within the Asia Pacific region. Four PATA Task Force reports on Macau were written over the past 25 years, giving us constructive ideas as well as visions, in the development of the tourism industry."

During the PATA Presidential Address, Mr de Jong asked delegates to stand for one minute of silence in remembrance of the more than 270,000 people killed as a result of the December 26, 2004 Indian Ocean quake and Tsunami.

Mr de Jong said, "Two years ago, as we recognised the external threats to our industry, we expanded PATA's strategic agenda to include a strong focus on advocacy and reputation management. It was the right call. Sadder but wiser from our recent years' experience dealing with the Bali bombing, with SARS, with Avian Flu, and our successful Phoenix recovery campaign, PATA is now, more than ever, ready to respond rapidly to crises that threaten our region."

Following a colourful Macanese cultural performance, International Air Transport Association Director General and CEO Mr Giovanni Bisignani delivered the opening keynote address on the Conference theme "Connecting Tourism's Stakeholders".

"Globally, tourism is responsible for 5% of GDP. In PATA countries, tourism directly accounts for up to 50% of GDP," said Mr Bisignani.

"If one link in the value chain is weak or broken, everybody suffers. This has been the lesson of Asia Pacific's recent crises." He added, "Everyone in this room has felt their impact. In a global world of instant news, coordinated action is critical."

Toward the end of the opening session, PATA recognised leading travel industry individuals and organisations with assorted awards, including the "Father of the Boeing 747" Mr Joseph F Sutter, who was inducted into the PATA Gallery of Legends. In addition, Mr Joao Manuel Costa Antunes and Mr Bo W Long both received PATA Life Membership honours for their contributions to PATA's work over many years.

Two 2005 PATA Grand Award winners -- the best of the 2005 PATA Gold Awards programme -- also received their awards: the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India for its Ajanta Ellora Conservation & Tourism Development Project and Banyan Tree Holdings for its Banyan Tree Spa Bintan.

For the next three days, Conference delegates will hear from experts on strategic travel industry topics, such as changes in the aviation sector's competitive environment; poverty alleviation through tourism; the industry's sustainability; the relationship between tourism and the arts; and China (PRC)'s rise as a tourism destination and source market.

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