DOT gets PATA support for PTM 2012 in Manila

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Tourism (DOT) has gained the full support of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) for the campaign to bring its worldwide membership to Manila for its biggest travel event next year.

Arriving recently from the PATA Travel Mart (PTM) 2011 in New Delhi, India, DOT Undersecretary for Planning and Promotions Daniel Corpuz said the Philippine delegation had been given assurance of full support by the organization’s leadership in promoting next year’s event to its more than 2,000 members and their clients worldwide.

The pledge of support, according to Corpuz, came from PATA chairman Hiray Cooray, interim chief executive officer Bill Calderwood and many other officers, all citing the need for massive global attendance to ensure the success of the PTM 2012 in Manila.

“We also discussed how the recently concluded PTM 2011 could help the Philippines capture its target tourism markets across the globe,” Corpuz said. “And they are more than willing to use PATA’s traditional and online media channels for that purpose.”

Corpuz said the country’s hosting of PTM 2012 alone would guarantee a yearlong worldwide publicity for the Philippines in PATA’s various mediums of communications, and these could extend to the vast clientele of its members around the world.

“And even at this early, Manila’s hosting of PTM 2012 is already posted on the PATA website and now being viewed by its members worldwide. This promotional blitz will culminate in an international media coverage of the event at the SMX Convention Center on Sept. 25-28 next year and even thereafter,” Corpuz said.    

The event is expected to generate some $5.2 million or P233 million in tourism receipts from at least 1,500 foreign participants spending a daily average of $691 each for five days at an exchange rate of P45 to a dollar.

“That amount does not include the actual business to be generated during the PTM 2012 by the participating Philippine travel and tourism entities such as hotels, tour operators, airlines and various other service providers and venues for MICE (meetings, incentive travel, conventions and exhibitions/events),” Corpuz added.

He said the event would draw global attention to the country’s 57 new high-end tourism facilities comprising 5,681 rooms of additional capacity and constituting some $5 billion worth of fresh investments.

The Philippines won over other strong contenders in the bid to host the event in 2012, and this would be only the second time for the country to host it since 1978, when the very first PTM was held in Manila.

Since then, the Philippines has hosted other huge and prestigious PATA events such as its 29th Annual Conference and Workshop in 1980, Midyear Board of Directors Meeting in 1987 and Annual Meeting in 1989, 1995 and 2002, Adventure Travel and Eco-Tourism Conference and Mart in 1993, and 47th Annual Conference and World Chapters Congress in 1998.

Founded in 1951, the PATA is the recognized authority on Pacific Asia travel and tourism, providing leadership and advocacy to the collective efforts of nearly 100 government, state and city tourism bodies, more than 55 airlines and cruise lines, and hundreds of travel industry companies.

Worldwide, PATA has over 2,000 individual members from over 41 countries, with the Philippines as one of its founders.