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"Japan Tourism" Booth
at 2004 PATA Travel Mart 2004 (PTM2004)
The 27th PATA Travel Mart (PTM) will take place from September 22nd
to 24th at the Queen Sikrit National Convention Centre in Bangkok,
Thailand. This year’s event will see 2 booths set aside as
the “Japan Tourism Booth”. There are expected to be
about 1000 buyers and sellers attending this year’s Mart,
and advance appointment arrangement (38 sessions of 20 minutes)
will allow buyers and sellers to be matched before the event in
order to obtain the maximum benefit from this excellent networking
opportunity. This year, the Mart will be attended by many buyers
with a great interest in Japan, and as such the PTM2004 will be
a great business opportunity for PATA Japan Chapter members. In
collaboration with the Visit Japan Campaign, the PATA Japan Chapter
will be organising the “Japan Tourism Booth” to provide
a marketing and PR forum for our PATA Japan Chapter members. We
are also looking for Chapter Members who will be available to man
the booth at the Mart. Volunteers will have the opportunity to
promote their company/organization, as well as having the opportunity
to make many new business contacts that will be of great value
for their future activities. In you are interested in volunteering,
please contact the PATA Japan Chapter Secretariat (tel: 03-5367-3320)
by the end of August. The introduction of the “Japan Tourism
Booth” at the PTM is the result of PATA ‘s desire to
have a Japanese presence at the event, which will be attended by
representatives of a total of 33 countries. Without a Japanese
presence at PTM2004, Japanese tourism would be missing out on a
great opportunity with great potential. The booth has been kindly
supplied free of charge by PATA.
PATA Foundation Launches
"Lucky Donation"
The PATA Foundation and JW Marriot Hotels& Resorts have announced
the launch of the PATA Foundation 20th Anniversary “Lucky Donation” campaign.
For 20 years, the PATA Foundation has disbursed donated funds to
community-based tourism projects in more than 40 countries. The Foundation
Grants awarded yearly to grass-root projects focus on investing in
practical projects that provide tangible benefits to the future of
Pacific Asia tourism. In order to be able to continue providing grants
and support, the PATA Foundation is asking for donations, and in
return, offers you the opportunity to participate in a fund-raising
campaign on the occasion of the Foundations’ 20th Anniversary.
Inn cooperation with JW Marriot Hotels & Resorts, for every US$200
donated between now and September 15th, you will be entitled to a
lucky draw coupon, to win one of the following fantastic prizes:
First Prize: JW Marriot Phuket Resort & Spa
Seven-night stay for 2 in Deluxe Sala Seaview Room, including one-hour
Thai Massage at the Mandara Spa.
Second prize: JW Marriot Seoul
Three-night stay in a Junior Suite for 2, inclusive of ABF.
Consolation Prizes:
JW Marriot Bangkok: Three-night stay for 2 in Deluxe Room, inclusive
of ABF
JW Marriot Hong Kong: Two-night stay in Harbour View Room, inclusive
of ABF
JW Marriot Shanghai: Two-night weekend stay for 2 in Deluxe Room,
inclusive of ABF
JW Marriot Mumbai: Two-night stay for 2 in Executive Room with access
to Executive Lounge, inclusive of daily breakfast and airport transfers
Further information about the “20th Anniversary Lucky Donation” program
can be obtained by contacting Ms, Ratana at the PATA Foundation Secretariat
(email: foundation@pata.org).
PATA Foundation Calls for Grant Applications
The 2004 deadline for submitting grant applications to the PATA Foundation
is August 31st. PATA members and chapters are welcome to nominate
projects. Eligible projects are those that serve to sustain or rehabilitate
the environment or cultural heritage of an area, and which have a
potentially positive impact on tourism. A project may also seek to
educate local stakeholders and tourists about sustainability issues.
For 210 years, the PATA Foundation has disbursed donated funds to
community projects throughout Asia Pacific. For further information,
please contact Ms. Ratana at the PATA Foundation Secretariat (Tel:
(66-2) 658-2000 ext. 102, email: foundation@pata.org).
PATA Releases Q4 2003 Quarterly Statistical Report
PATA’s Strategic Intelligence Centre has released the Quarterly
Statistical Report for the fourth quarter 2003. The report includes
the latest visitor arrivals by country of origin, outbound travel
data for selected PATA-member countries, percentage changes over
the same quarter of the previous year, and an update of aggregate
arrivals and departures data spanning five years for many member
countries. Subscriptions to the 2004 Quarterly Statistical Report
(four reports) are also available for US$200 for PATA members and
US$275 for chapter members/non-members. For further information,
please contact PATA Coordinator-Publications Ms. Patcharin (Maew)
Hongprapat (Tel. (66-2) 658-2000 ext. 121, email: publications@pata.org).
2005 PATA Annual Conference (2005 PAC) in Macau
The 54th PATA Annual Conference, under the theme of “Connecting
Tourism’s Stakeholders”, will be held from April 17th
to 21st, 2005 in Macau. The Macau Government Tourist Office has made
a presentation to PATA Hong Kong Chapter members inviting them to
see Macau and to hear about its recent developments. Macau and neighbouring
Hong Kong will be cooperating to provide pre- and post-Conference
tours to 2005 PAC participants.
Sri Lanka's Esala
Perahera kicks off
The countdown to one of Buddhism’s biggest annual festivals
has begun in Sri Lanka. The Esala Perahera festival, held in the
hill town of Kandy, is a 10-day celebration featuring more than 100
colorfully decorated elephants, Kandyan dancers, flame dancers, musicians
and torchbearers. 20,000 people are expected to watch the event,
and will line the streets for a series of day and night processions.
The highlight of the nightly processions is the caparisoned Maligawa
Tusker, the biggest elephant in the procession, entrusted with carrying
a replica of the tooth casket enshrined in the 543BC. The sacred
tooth itself, believed to be the Lord Buddha’s tooth, is kept
safely within the confines of four caskets in the inner sanctum of
Kandy’s Dalada Maligawa, and is never removed from the temple.
The history of the tooth relic’s passage to Sri Lanka is fascinating.
Following his cremation, Lord Buddha’s remains were divided
and entrusted to local rulers who enshrined them throughout Northern
India. After eight centuries in India, the sacred tooth was spirited
away to Sri Lanka, hidden within the elaborate hairstyle of the daughter
of an Indian King in order to escape the attention of passers by.
The Esala Perahera festivities will begin on July 22nd and will continue
until the spectacular finale of the mediaeval pageant on August 1st.
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