BANGKOK – The rift between travel title Travel Trade Report and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) continues to roll like a thunderstorm through cyberspace.
TTR’s recent online editions have been calling the PATA hierarchy to account over its alleged lack of transparency in filing accounts and its “old boys’ club†mentality to decision-making.
PATA responded by asking members of its board of directors to sign a Code of Conduct designed to end persistent media leaks.
TTR’s online edition this week noted that a short-listeded candidate for the PATA’s top post has reportedly said he would like to see the association move its headquarters away from Thailand to either Singapore or Hong Kong.
His comments, according to TTR’s “reliable sourcesâ€, had PATA staff in an uproar. TTR said there was talk of a petition that would identify the candidate and bring to light other statements made concerning his ambitious plans for the association.â€
“PATA is awash with rumours after its CEO and president, Peter de Jong, shocked board members, last week, when he told them he was leaving 17 October, at least six months ahead of schedule,†TTR reported.
“PATA staff morale is now at its lowest ebb with executives privately stating they are demoralised by what they heard of the inner circle discussions alongside the Hyderabad board and committee meetings (at PATAMart last week).”
