Philippines prepares for PATA Travel Mart 2012

Three days of successful business meetings at PATA Travel Mart closed in New Delhi on September 9 with the Philippines gearing up to host the Mart in Manila in September 2012.

PATA Chairman Hiran Cooray said: “After a very productive week in Delhi, PATA is delighted to take the PATA Travel Mart back to Manila where it was launched as the first regional travel trade event for Asia Pacific back in 1978.”

Daniel Corpuz, Under Secretary of the Philippine Department of Tourism, addressing PTM 2011 delegates in New Delhi at the “Welcome to the Philippines” dinner on September 9 said that PATA holding the Mart in Manila in 2012 was a “strong indication of the region’s business confidence in the Philippines.”

He added: “PATA Travel Mart 2012 will allow the Philippines to demonstrate, not just our capacity, but our expertise in hosting major international events. With the current growing private sector investment in tourism facilities development throughout the Philippines, there is no better time to see the new products, convention facilities and other tourism infrastructure in place since the last time we hosted a big PATA event.”

The Philippines has hosted several key PATA events, including the 29 PATA Annual Conference and Workshop in 1980, the PATA Annual Board of Directors Meeting in 1989, the 47th PATA Annual Conference in 1998, and the Chapter World Congress and PATA Board of Directors Meeting in 2002.

When Manila hosted the first PATA Travel Mart in 1978, just over 300 delegates attended. After more than three decades PATA Travel Mart remains at the forefront of Asia Pacific’s much expanded travel event calendar, attracting over 1,000 delegates while still maintaining an exclusive B2B professional trade-only format.

 Chairman Cooray said: “We thank the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India for hosting a very productive Mart this year. In New Delhi we have seen excellent cooperation between the tourism industry’s public and private sector in hosting the Mart. We can now all look forward to Manila next year when we expect the Mart to be another significant milestone as we build the business for PATA members.”

The 2012 Mart is scheduled to take place September 25-28 at the SMX Convention Center, the largest private venue in the Philippines and one of the flagship establishments of the country’s MICE industry. It is conveniently located cloclose to prestigious hotels and key public transportation systems.