Legazpi to host PATA New Frontier Forum 2015
MANILA, Philippines - Legazpi City in Albay, in partnership with the Department of Tourism (DOT), will host the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) New Tourism Frontiers Forum 2015 at the Oriental Hotel from Nov. 25-27.
Tourism Sec. Ramon Jimenez Jr. will deliver the opening address.
Jimenez, who is responsible for the country’s highly successful tourism campaign “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” will speak on the “Successful Destination Marketing Campaign.”
“This forum is timely and relevant as we step up marketing efforts for our destination-based campaign and as we launch Visit the Philippines Again (VPA) 2016 – which is going to be the most massive retail-focused effort the Philippines has ever made,” Jimenez said.
“Destination marketing is a daunting task as it involves selling an experience, both tangible and intangible. The Philippines prides itself with having a unique biodiversity, rich natural resources and a wide variety of product offerings for tourists. But most of all, we have the Filipino people – the country’s most important asset, who serve as the DOT’s partners in building our brand and fulfilling the promise of a more fun Philippines,” he added.
Mario Hardy, CEO of PATA, said, “We are extremely delighted to have Secretary Jimenez open the event, as his experience and expertise on how to market a destination is something all industry stakeholders should learn from, especially when trying to market a new emerging destination.”
Gov. Joey Salceda of Albay will provide the closing address on “Ecotourism – Transcending Climate Change,” the theme of this year’s PATA New Tourism Frontiers Forum.
Salceda said, “Albay is globally recognized by United Nations as the model for adapting to the impacts of climate change. After suffering 46 percent damage in 2006, the province quickly recovered by using tourism as one of its principal tools for reconstruction, with foreign tourists rising from 8,700 in 2006 to 339,000 in 2014. In the same period, it built 320 kilometers of roads to provide access to new and unique destinations. As host of PATA 2015, Albay shares this unique experience giving hope and guidance in transcending the inevitable effects of climate change.”
Confirmed speakers for the event include Chloe Harvey of Green Fins/Reef World Foundation; Maeve Nightingale, manager, Capacity Development, Mangroves for the Future, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN); Masaru Takayama, founding chair, Asian Ecotourism Network; Al Linsangan III, executive director, The Coron Initiative and director, Society for Sustainable Tourism & Development Inc. and many others.
The forum will cover topics including Climate Change Mitigation and the Role of Tourism, Marine Tourism & the Implications for Water-Reliant Operations, Global Adventure Travel Trends, ASEAN for Adventure: Where Boundaries are Endless, Crisis Management & Risk Reduction for New Destinations, and the Power of Ecotourism: Best Practices & Models for Implementation.
Furthermore, the last session on Interactive Marketing – A Treasure Hunt will allow delegates to explore how to make a destination in the dynamic world of digital, mobile and new travel behavior, using tools and insights gained from the previous day’s Technical Tour and Treasure Hunt.
Albay is a United Nations Global Model for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation. Legazpi also recently hosted the UNWTO-ASEAN International Conference on Tourism and Climate Change.
To learn more about the PATA New Tourism Frontiers Forum 2015 or to register for the event, visit www.PATA.org/ntff2015.
