9th PATA Mekong Tourism Forum to be held between March 26-28, 2004, in Chiang Mai

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is to convene two of its most important marketing  events in Thailand in 2004.

The 9th PATA Mekong Tourism Forum will be held between March  26-28, 2004, in the north Thailand city of Chiang Mai, followed by its 27th Annual PATA Travel Mart in Bangkok during September 28-October 1, 2004.

These two PATA events are expected to be attended by hundreds of senior executives in the travel and tourism industry, especially buyers responsible for deciding which products to include in their tour programmes.

Mr Peter de Jong, PATA’s President and CEO said, “We are very pleased that Thailand suggested Chiang Mai as the venue for the Mekong Tourism Forum. Chiang Mai has previously hosted PATA’s Adventure Travel Mart and this will be the first time for it to host the Mekong Forum.

He added, “PATA is very pleased to see such events being held in secondary cities of the Mekong subregion because they provide good opportunities to showcase their products, services and emerging attractions.”

Tourism Authority of Thailand Deputy Governor for Marketing Mr Santichai Euachongprasit added, “Hosting the MTF in Chiang Mai will go a long way towards further establishing the city known as the ‘Rose of the North Thailand’ as a major bridgehead for travel and tourism to the Mekong countries.”

The mart is organised by PATA in co-operation with the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and the Asian Development Bank. It is the region’s most important event for the tourism industries of Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Yunnan Province, southern China, rotating every year between the six countries involved.

The birthplace of Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Chiang Mai is being positioned as a regional aviation hub of airlines interested in using it as a base for flights to the Mekong region. Efforts are under way to attract more airlines to fly there.

Mr Santichai said, “Thailand initiated the convening of the Mekong Tourism Forum at the PATA Annual Conference in the beach resort of Pattaya in 1996. Since then, it has grown from strength to strength as a major venue for public and private sectors to chart future growth plans.

“We will do everything possible to ensure that the 9th MTF is well attended and a huge success for all delegates.”

PATA’s Mr de Jong noted that increasingly, consumers are looking for new and exciting destinations with a deep historic and cultural heritage.

“We know that Chiang Mai is working hard at maintaining its values and traditions,” he said. “We hope this event will motivate it further to stay on this course.”

He said Thailand will also then have a good opportunity to showcase all the new developments in Bangkok and its surrounding area when the Travel Mart is held in the Thai capital in October 2004.

“By that time, the city’s second mass transit system will also be ready, which will give the buyers ample opportunity to see how Bangkok is working to improve the traffic conditions and making it easier for visitors to get around.”

Mr de Jong said he looked forward to working with the Tourism Authority of Thailand to make both events success. He noted that they will be followed by Thailand hosting the PATA Annual Conference itself in April 2006.