Five new businesses have joined the Pacific Asia Travel Association in recent weeks as the region looks to reopen to international travel.
New members include two Japanese tourist boards, two hoteliers, and a Sri Lanka and Jordan-focused representation firm.
Pata chair Chris Crampton said: “Now, more than ever, it is important to come together and support one another and we’re proud of the sense of community we’ve created as an organisation.
“We remain determined to support the industry during this challenging time, and our new membership structure is a key example of this.”
With Japan gearing up for a bumper 2021, Crampton added it was an exciting time to welcome the Okinawa Convention and Visitors Bureau and Tourism Shizuoka Japan to Pata, which he said would “provide agents with even more destination inspiration and learning on a country that’s trending right now”.
Other new members include representation firm Your Tourism Partner, which is working with two new properties in Sri Lanka – W15 Hanthana Estate and Taru Villas Riva Negombo.
Director Jean-Marc Flambert said: “Covid-19 has meant we have had to review how we do business and so we are trying new things. I am a firm believer in networking, and Pata is one of the best associations in the UK for the travel trade. Our membership will help us work harder and smarter thanks to the organisation’s network of industry and agent contacts.
“We are ready and waiting for Sri Lanka airport to reopen; all of our hotel clients are prepared with new Covid-19 measures in place, and we’re excited to introduce two brand new Sri Lankan properties.”
Agents registered to attend Experience Pata will be able to network with the Okinawa Convention and Visitors Bureau, as well as Your Tourism Partner and Phuket hotelier Dusit Thani Phuket.
The virtual event, in association with Travel Uni, runs until Friday; agents have the option to choose from a variety of masterclasses, videos, and live training sessions.
Agents can still sign up for Experience Pata by visiting www.pata.org.uk/experience.
