PATA Travel Mart 2017 welcomes over 1,100 delegates to 40th anniversary event

Officially opened on Wednesday, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA)’s 2017 Travel Mart has attracted 1,131 delegates from 66 global destinations, including 460 sellers from 252 organisations and 37 destinations.

Hosted by the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), the 40th staging of the event, has also hosted 293 buyers from 281 organisations and 51 source markets.

Commenting on the success of PTM 2017, which opened in Macao SAR on 13th September, PATA Chief Executive Dr. Mario Hardy (pictured below) stated “it was very recently that Macao was hit hard by Typhoon Hato and, while recovery works are continuing, the city’s return to normality and amazing welcome is testament to the resilience of its people.”

MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes added “each year, PATA Travel Mart helps to bring to the limelight the host destination, and for this edition Macao is excited to take the opportunity to show our new tourism attractions that have come into operation since we last met in our city in 2010.

“As Macao welcomes PATA Travel Mart 2017, its 40th edition, we are encouraged that, together with MGTO, around 30 of our local tourism operators are participating at the travel mart, and taking advantage of PATA’s valuable network to engage with their counterparts from the Asia Pacific and beyond.

“On the other hand, we are glad to see our next generation of tourism professionals involved in the travel mart through PATA Youth Symposium, hosted by the Institute for Tourism Studies, and by contributing as volunteers at the event.”

PTM 2017 also welcomed the SheTrades Pavilion hosted by the International Trade Centre (ITC). SheTrades, a flagship initiative of ITC, provides women entrepreneurs around the world with a unique network and platform to connect to international markets.

At the official opening ceremony on Thursday (14th September), Dr. Alexis Tam, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of Macao SAR Government and Chairman of the Macao Host Committee of PATA Travel Mart 2017, remarked that “there is a fierce global competition in the travel and tourism market nowadays. However, the significant number of participants in PATA Travel Mart indicates the high interest of the global tourism industry in the region.

“The 40th anniversary of the event this year will mark an important milestone and consolidate PATA as a leading international tourism leader in Asia Pacific. With the changing face of tourism, I encourage PATA members to focus on delivering the best opportunities and working to build this important global industry together.”

Addressing a media briefing at the Venetian Macao Resort Hotel, the official venue for the event, Dr. Hardy concluded “as we come together for the 40th edition of PATA Travel Mart it is only fitting that we can mark this occasion with such a strong partner as MGTO which has been an invaluable member since 1958.

“From sponsoring the PATA Gold Awards for the past 22 years to hosting the PATA Annual Conference in 2005 and PATA Travel Mart in 2010, MGTO is a constant and highly valued contributor towards PATA’s mission to promote the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region.”

Dr Hardy also praised the Travel Weekly Group for co-organising the Travolution Forum Asia: ‘Redefining the Travel Experience’, and the Professional Travel Bloggers Association for co-organising the Blogger and Key Opinion Leader Forum.

For more information go to presentations from both forums will be available at www.PATA.org/ptm-2017.

Image: The opening ceremony of PTM 2017. (From left) Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director - Macao Government Tourism Office; Li Jianping, Director of Asia Tourism Exchange Center of China National Tourism Administration, Dr. Chris Bottril, Vice Chairman - PATA; Dr. Alexis Tam, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of Macao SAR Government; and Dr. Mario Hardy. 

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