Despite London tube strikes and heavy rain last week, an impressive 77 travel agents turned out in force for Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) UK & Ireland’s annual flagship training event, Taste of PATA.
“Given the circumstances, attracting 77 agents is a remarkable achievement,” said Chris Crampton, Chairman of PATA UK & Ireland.
“Huge thanks go to the dedicated agents who battled both transport disruption and wild weather to take part, and to our suppliers who also joined the challenges.”
The evening provided travel agents with the opportunity to network with a dozen suppliers from across the Pacific Asia region.
Set up as a fayre with interactive stands, guests discovered a wide range of products while enjoying regional food and drinks, along with lively entertainment including wine and beer tastings, henna tattoos, Thai massages, fruit-carving, plus games and quizzes with spot prizes.
Suppliers at the event included:
Visit Qatar
Elephant Hills
Outrigger Hotels and Resorts and Haad Tien Beach Resort
Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau
Tourism Authority of Thailand
Minor Hotels
Air New Zealand
South Australia Tourism Commission
Thai Airways
Singapore Airlines
Tahiti Tourisme
The Anam Hotels and Paradise Cruises, Vietnam
Lewis Millar from WorldLux Travel shared his thoughts on his first time at Taste of PATA: “I’d heard from colleagues who had attended the event previously, and they said it’s a really great opportunity to expand your knowledge about the Pacific Asia region and meet suppliers you wouldn’t normally encounter, while also gaining access to unique insights.”
Travel agent Greg Taylor from Drifters Travel has been coming to TASTE of PATA for over seventeen years: “We always attend the event as it’s a great opportunity to meet different suppliers, stay up to date with new products, and catch up with old friends.”
Exhibiting for the first time as one of Taste of PATA suppliers, Logan Soole from Air New Zealand, added: “What a fantastic experience bringing the travel industry together in one place. I loved that the agents were able to sample offerings from all the targeted regions and discover what makes each destination unique.”
Additionally, agents had the chance to win big on the night with prize giveaways from luxury hotel stays and shopping vouchers to goody bags, chocolates, bubbly and beer.
PATA’s calendar of events has continued this month with oadshow training events in Belfast and in Dublin today.
