PATA Travel Mart 2003 to target niche sectors

The 2003 PATA Travel Mart is targeting buyers and sellers from growing niche market segments. The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Travel Mart will take place October 1-3, 2003 at Suntec, Singapore.

In addition to mainstream tourism products, the Mart aims to draw new buyers and sellers from sectors such as golf, diving, cruise, adventure, pilgrimage tours, school trips, cultural exchange, youth and student travel, honeymoon, luxury, business event travel and health tourism.

PATA Managing Director-Events, Ms. Sheila Leong, said: ”The Pacific Asia region has the great advantage of geographical and cultural diversity. Everyone benefits when PATA is fully representative and promotes the best of all of our region to the world.”

By managing the event in-house, PATA has reduced space costs for the Mart. The saving is part of PATA’s campaign to encourage more participants from a wider cross-section of the travel industry.

Seller fees start from US$1,650 (for a nine square-metre shell scheme booth space) for PATA members and US$1,950 for non-members. Buyer fees to attend the Travel Mart start from US$150 for PATA members and US$175 for non-members. Packages at US$395 with complimentary or discounted air fares plus a hotel assignment will be made available to buyers who register before June 20, 2003.

Ms. Leong added: “We aim to attract the right mix of quality international buyers and sellers from across Pacific Asia. The Mart’s role is to boost the region’s profile as a world-class destination offering both quality and value-for-money products and services.”