Kaye Chon and Heinecke to address Mekong Forum

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has announced that Hong Kong Polytechnic University School of Hotel and Tourism Management Chairman, Professor Kaye Chon, will deliver the opening keynote address at the 9th PATA Mekong Tourism Forum, March 26-28, 2004 at the Sheraton Chiang Mai Hotel, Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Professor Chon will elaborate on “Greater Mekong Sub-Region in the 21st Century: Tourism as a Growth Engine”, outlining the effects of 21st century global economics on the Mekong region. 

Three breakout sessions will debate how to better protect, position and promote Greater Mekong Sub-region tourism. The sessions will be led by Mr. Peter Semone, PATA Vice President, Professor Walter Jamieson, Dean at the School of Travel Industry Management at the University of Hawaii, and Mr. Les Clark, Consultant, Asian Development Bank.

Mr. Bert van Walbeek of the Winning Edge, Professor Jamieson and Mr. Clark will draw on the conclusions of the three breakout sessions during the “Finding Solutions” session.

Mr. William E. Heinecke, Chief Executive Officer of the Minor Group will close out the Forum with a keynote address entitled “Private Sector Investments in Mekong Tourism”. The Minor Group is a Thai-based business group focusing on the consumer and leisure sectors in Asia Pacific. The group comprises three companies listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand: Royal Garden Resorts, Minor Food Group and Minor Corporation.

“The Forum has been designed to reflect PATA’s new advocacy role," said PATA Vice President, Mr. Peter Semone, “The debate will be about how we best protect, position and promote the region in order to maximise tourism growth in the Mekong region without incurring undesirable impacts.”

The 9th PATA Mekong Tourism Forum is organised by PATA in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). The Forum is being hosted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

Registration for PATA members is US$120 per delegate, US$200 for non-members and PATA Chapter members and US$50 for spouses for social functions only. Earlybirds will receive a US$20 discount for registering before January 30, 2004. A late fee of US$20 will be levied for registrations received after March 1, 2004.