Leaders to convene at PATA Annual Summit in Bangkok

Bangkok: Leaders of the Complete Visitor Economy will gather for the 2013 PATA Annual Summit (2013PAS) in Bangkok, April 25-28, 2013. The PATA Youth Forum will commence on  April 25, followed by the one-day summit on April 26, and the PATA Board meetings and AGM on April 27-28 respectively.

Under the theme “Embracing the Complete Visitor Economy”, speakers from the public and private sector at the summit will show the considerable impact and social and economic reach of the complete visitor economy.

Lothar R Pehl, Senior Vice President Operations and Global Initiatives Starwood Hotels and Resorts Asia Pacific said: “Connecting the Complete Visitor Economy (CVE) across functions and cultures is an all-encompassing subject designed to bring countries immigration, transportation, tourism and hospitality industry leaders together under one vision. A visitor economy requires a planned and informed infrastructure and enables stakeholders to access resources and functional knowledge to its collective advantage. That all sounds easy in an industry of creativity, innovation and passion. But it is hard work in reality based on a need to be championed by passionate leaders. And here I look at PATA in collaboration with the Thai Ministry of Tourism who need to craft a collective vision and partnership.” 

Anita Mendiratta, Managing Director, Cachet Consulting & Head Consultant of The CNN TASK Group, will address the topic, “ Strengthening Weak Links in the Visitor Economy.” She said: “Capable of generating unprecedented levels of employment, investment, trade, unity and understanding, the visitor economy has become a vehicle strong enough to move nations through times of crisis of various forms, from economic to natural, political to environmental. To yield the greatest impact, however, it is essential that each link in the visitor economy chain ‘gets it’. They need to understand the critical role that they play within the greater stakeholder community so that, together, the visitor economy can be maximised for meaningful, shared growth.” 

Delegates will hear and learn from the Complete Visitor Economy speakers including:

• Gloria Guevara, Former Minister of Tourism – Mexico
• Pansy Ho, Managing Director, Shun Tak Holdings – Hong Kong SAR 
• Lothar R Pehl, SVP Operations and Global Initiatives Starwood Hotels and Resorts Asia Pacific
• Abid Butt, CEO – Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, Singapore
• Martin Verdon Roe – Global VP, Display Sales, TripAdvisor, UK
• Ross Jackson, Head of Cross-Border Business APCEMEA, Visa Inc.
• Anita Mendiratta, Managing Director – CACHET Consulting/lead consultant of the CNN T.A.S.K.Group.

Breakout session speakers include:

• Bert van Walbeek, Managing Director, The Winning Edge, Thailand
• Paul Gibson DSO MBE, Defence Consultant, Security Risk Mitigation, UK
• Kimberly Weissman, Department of Homeland Security, USA
• Gerard Brown, Tourism Development Director, UBM Routes Ltd
• Prof Dr Zadok S Lempert, President, Panorama-Medica Group, Bangkok
• Prof Kaye Chon, Dean and Chair Professor School of Hotel and Tourism Mgmt, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
• Peter Semone, Chief Technical Advisor, LANITH Lao National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality

Another highlight of the Forum will be the Digital Innovation Asia events, April 23- 25 in Bangkok.

PATA has partnered with E-Tourism Asia the producer of Digital Innovation Asia (DIA) to stage digital events, which include the Digital Innovation Asia Awards, Blogger Match-Up Asia, Speak-Up Asia, and the China Boot Camp.

Next Gen hospitality students and travel professionals are also invited to attend the PATA Youth Forum on April 25 at Sri Burapa Auditorium, Thammasat University – Tha Pra Chan Campus, Bangkok. Hosted by the College of Innovation at Thammasat University, the Forum is aiming to target 300 students and professionals. Delegates will also attend an evening reception in Siam Center Plaza hosted by Siam Piwat Co., Ltd. The forum will build on the recent PATA student forums held during the PATA Annual Conference at Taylor’s University in Kuala Lumpur in 2011 and Lyceum of the Philippines University, Manila in 2012.- PATA