PATA, JATA Team Up

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) have teamed up to work together to benefit both sets of members.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed this month and will focus efforts on implementing joint activities related to tourism. The MoU shows the membership commitment by both associations to enhance the role of the tourism sector and to develop the tourism industry in Asia and the Pacific.

The agreement commits the two organizations to continue their productive ongoing co-operation through PATA’s participation in the annual JATA Tourism EXPO Japan and JATA’s participation in PATA’s program of work.

JATA Tourism EXPO Japan is internationally recognized as the one of the largest travel events in the world, presenting Japan as a tourism destination to a global audience. This year PATA will support a panel session at the EXPO on Sept. 26 with the theme, “The Rapidly Growing Asian Market and Its Significance for the Tourism Industry.”

Martin J Craigs, PATA CEO, commented, “Japan is a giant of tourism, long valued for its high quality outbound sector. In recent years we have seen the rise of destination Japan as an inbound entity too. This is a desirable and sustainable trend that PATA is keen to support.”

JATA Tourism EXPO Japan 2014 will be held at Tokyo Big Sight, Sept. 25-28.