The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) commenced its Adventure Travel and Responsible Tourism Conference and Mart (AT&RTCM) event in Pokhara, in the mountain kingdom of Nepal. Under the theme ‘Social Give Back: Doing Well by Doing Good’, the conference once again addressed key issues facing responsible travel, and sought to improve awareness regarding sustainable tourism practices. The AT&RTCM attracted close to 200-delegates. Sellers were from five countries, namely, Bhutan, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Nepal…
The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) commenced its Adventure Travel and Responsible Tourism Conference and Mart (AT&RTCM) event in Pokhara, in the mountain kingdom of Nepal. Under the theme ‘Social Give Back: Doing Well by Doing Good’, the conference once again addressed key issues facing responsible travel, and sought to improve awareness regarding sustainable tourism practices.
The AT&RTCM attracted close to 200-delegates. Sellers were from five countries, namely, Bhutan, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Nepal. Among international buyers, it is gratifying to note that the event has drawn a strong presence from Russia, Poland and Canada for the first time, as also other leading destinations.
Said Greg Duffell, CEO, PATA: “PATA’s first ever Adventure Travel Conference was held in Nepal in the late 1960s. Given this background, it is fitting that this niche event is now being held in Pokhara, after its successful return to Nepal last year. Adventure travel is seeing a massive upswing around the globe and Pokhara, through its accessibility to the Annapurna Range, offers some of the best trekking routes in the world. I am certain that the post-event tours so ably organised by Nepal Tourism will go a long way in showcasing this region’s unique adventure offerings.”
Said Sheila Leong, deputy chief executive and head, office of marketing services, PATA: “This attendance is affirmation of the importance the industry accords an event of this nature. With global warming growing at the alarming pace it is, PATA is pleased and proud to be the medium through which a difference can be made to our planet, through responsible tourism measures. For the travel and tourism industry to continue to flourish, we need to first protect and nurture the environs we live in.”
This is the first official PATA event of the year 2011, which happens to be the year of the Association’s 60th anniversary, and has also been declared as ‘Nepal Tourism Year’.
The ribbon cutting ceremony was presided over by Kishor Thapa, secretary, Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation; Prachanda Man Shrestha, CEO, Nepal Tourism Board; Hiran Cooray, chairman, PATA, and Greg Duffell, CEO, PATA. Local and international journalists from China, India and Nepal attended the event.
The keynote speaker was Bruce Poon Tip, founder, Gap Adventures, Canada. Other speakers included Hiran Cooray, PATA Chairman; Andrew Jones, guardian, Sanctuary Resorts; Arlene Samen, CNN Hero; Ajeet Bajaj, managing director, Snow Leopard Adventures; Ben Keene, founder, Tribewanted; Brian Mullis, founder and CEO, Sustainable Travel International; Chirag Tolia, Kopan Monastery Village; Duangkamol Chansuriyawong, president, The Thai Ecotourism and Adventure Travel Association (TEATA); David Jones, former director general, WYSE Travel Confederation; Ian Hall, founder and director Arkitrek; John King, managing director, Global Tourism & Leisure; Mina Gabor, chairwoman and president, International School of Sustainable Tourism; Manfred Haupl, owner, Hauser Exkersion; Nyima Tashi Sherpa, Kopan Monastery Village; Renton de Alwis, writer and social activist; Siddharta Bajracharya, executive officer, National Trust for Nature Conservation; Steve Harbert, director and general manager, Mountain Kingdom; Sudhir Sahi, UNDP consultant; Sweta Gurung, course instructor, Where There Be Dragons; and Dr. Zhang Guangrui, director and professor, Tourism Research Centre, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
The event is hosted by Nepal Tourism Board with support from the PATA Nepal Chapter and endorsed by Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Sustainable Travel International. Official airlines are Nepal Airlines and Buddha Air.
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