News from PATA

News@PATA:
Reproduced with kind permission from PATA

PATA’s Issues and Trends:
Issue 10, October 2001: Tourism research turns for the better
Issue 8, August 2001: Asia’s fight against poverty
Issue 7, July 2001: APEC’s plans to boost tourism
Issue 6, June 2001: Protesting Globalisation
Issue 4, April 2001: The myth of endless tourism growth
Issue 3, March 2001: Global warming and the future of travel
Issue 2, February 2001: High-tech and the SQ Factor
Issue 1, January 2001: Travel agents strike back

PATA BOD TO MEET IN SARAWAK
Members of the PATA Board of Directors and committees of the board will meet in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia from Jan. 18 to 20. More than 90 delegates have already registered for the meeting. For more information, contact Ms. Ratana Poopitakchatkaew, Director-Board Relations and Administration. E-mail: ratana@pata.th.com.

AIR FREEDOM AND CHINA REPORTS NOW AVAILABLE
PATA has released two new publications. The 100-page China Outbound Market Report costs US$175 for members and US$350 for non-members. The 20-page Understanding the Freedoms of the Air: A Framework for Air Capacity Regulation costs US$50 for members and US$100 for non-members. For a full list of PATA publications, visit www.pata.org and click on the publications link, or e-mail: publications@pata.th.com.

STUDENT RATE FOR PATA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Students with valid student IDs are invited to attend the 51st PATA Annual Conference, April 14-18 in New Delhi, India, at the special student rate of US$99 per person. For more information and a registration form, please visit www.pata.org. Or e-mail: conference@pata.th.com.

BIT MILAN
The PATA Europe Division is organising a PATA stand for BIT, to be held in Milan from February 20 to 24. BIT, the most important travel trade show in Italy and the Mediterranean area, is now in its 22nd year. In 2001, more than 5,000 companies were represented at the show and over 112,000 visitors attended. Participation in the PATA stand costs US$1,700. For information or to register please contact the PATA Europe Division. E-mail: pata@monaco.net. Tel: (377) 92 05 61 32. Fax: (377) 92 05 61 33.

ZURICH GO-BETWEEN 2002
The PATA Switzerland Chapter Go-Between will be held on March 13 in Zurich. It is an invaluable opportunity to meet Swiss tour operators and buyers before ITB. Registration costs US$450. Special room rates have been negotiated with the Marriott Hotel in Zurich. For further information contact Mr. Detlev K.E. Bandi. E-mail: info@cosulich.ch.

NEW MICE GUIDE TO BALI
PATA member Bali Discovery Tours has teamed up with Pacific Asia Travel News to produce 14,000 copies of The Bali MICE Guide 2002. To receive a copy of the 92-page full colour reference guide, e-mail: info@micebali.com or visit www.micebali.com.

FROM THE GOOD NEWS FILES
* Citing improved business conditions, Rosenbluth International, the world’s third largest travel management company, announced that it has recalled nearly 300 of the 800 associates it furloughed after September 11. The company will also reinstate salaries to pre-Sept. 11 levels.
* Ambua Lodge in Papua New Guinea is offering increased commissions for travel prior to May 31. The lodge was recently listed by “National Geographic Adventure” magazine as one of the world’s top ecolodges. Contact Mr. Bob Bates. E-mail: travel@pngtours.com.
* A healthy, 101-kilogramme male elephant calf was born at Temple Tiger Jungle Resort in Nepal on December 11. The attending doctor said it was the first case of offspring resulting from a match between a wild elephant and a domestic elephant.
* Sri Lanka has been offered “special country status” at the opening ceremony at the Vakantiebeurs 2002, the trade/consumer exhibition which will take place in Utrecht, Netherlands from Jan. 8 to 13. More than 160,000 visitors and 18,000 travel industry personnel and 1,600 exhibitors participate at this annual event.

PATA STRATEGIC INFORMATION CENTRE WORLDWATCH
* In the United States, economists have predicted growth of around 0.3 percent for the first quarter of 2002 with an aggressive rebound to an annualised rate of 3.8 percent. In part, this will be fuelled by a surge in business activity as companies begin to restock inventories depleted in 2001. However, for New York City economists predicted a 3.1 percent decline in the Gross City Product (GCP), compared to growth of 5.2 percent in 2000 and 1.4 percent in 2001.
* A survey of more than 100 economists in 13 countries predicted low inflation during 2002, largely due to stabilising exchange rates and oil prices. Average inflation rates are expected to be 1.76% for 2001 and 1.75% for 2002.
* The Travel Industry Association of America has conducted three travel confidence surveys since Sept. 11 and has found that most Americans can be motivated to travel if air fare and accommodation discounts are big enough. A similar mindset exists in Australia where Virgin Blue is offering US$2.50 air fares for one-way flights from Melbourne to Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide.
* Expect more to be offered to airlines to keep them flying to existing hubs, particularly as airports begin a battle for market share. According to some reports, Malaysia is considering offering Qantas rights to some domestic destinations within Malaysia.
* Japan is the latest country to consider the possibility of space tourism. For around US$5.3 million you can buy a ride on a five-person pod as early as 2008 and spend a day orbiting the earth at an altitude of 500 kilometres. Consideration is also being given to the development of a larger vehicle that will allow passengers to remain in orbit for as long as a month.
* The world’s fastest roller coaster has opened at the Fujikyu Highland amusement park in Japan. It takes passengers from 0 to 172 kilometres an hour in under two seconds. With 50,000 horsepower behind it, the ride moves you at 3.6 times that of normal gravity.

PATANET QUICK LINKS
Listen to PATAradio at http://www.travelmedia.com/PATAradio
View special promotions at http://www.seeyouinpacificasia.com
Register for the 25th PATA Travel Mart at http://www.patatravelmarket.com/page.cfm
Register for the 51st PATA Annual Conference at http://www.pata.org/frame.cfm?pageid=2&ebid=29
Register for the Pacific Tourism Exchange at http://www.pata.org/frame.cfm?pageid=2&ebid=31
Visit PATA-member airlines at http://www.pata.org/frame.cfm?pageid=4
Explore our destination links at http://www.pata.org/frame.cfm?pageid=3
Order PATA publications at http://www.pata.org/frame3.cfm?pageid=6
Check out our press room at http://www.pata.org/frame.cfm?pageid=12
Post a job opening or find a position at http://www.pata.org/frame.cfm?pageid=7

KEEPING MEMBERS INFORMED
Copyright (c) 2002 by the Pacific Asia Travel Association