PATA – Pacific Asia Travel Association

Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is the largest travel promotional organization in the world. It promotes travel and tourism to and within the Pacific region. It was incorporated to develop, promote, and facilitate travel to areas within the Pacific RIM in 1951 as a non-profit, voluntary, and non-political corporation.

PATA was established in 1951 in Hawaii. In 1953 its headquarters were moved from Hawaii to San Francisco.

PATA first conference was held on January 1952 in Honolulu and its first Asian office was established in Manila, the Philippines in 1976

Aims and Objectives of PATA

Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is the largest non-profit, non-political organization in the field of travel and tourism. The objective of the PATA is the promotion and development of tourism, advancement of the interest of members.

PATA is a membership association acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of the Asia Pacific travel and tourism industry.

The main objectives of PATA are:

  • To promote and develop tourism in the Pacific region.
  • To provide timely up-to-date and informed.
  • To organize seminars/ conferences for the members.
  • Build the business of members.
  • To organize training and development programs for members.
  • To promote ethical practices.
  • To focus on destination development.
  • To take the lead position on travel and tourism industry issues that need to be addressed.
  • To stimulate and develop public-private sector partnerships.
  • To improve international understanding and international corporation.
  • To provide a common forum.
  • To publish material relating the tourism industry.
  • HR development.
  • Marketing research and statics.
  • To provide valuable insights, forecasts, and analysis help members to make better business decisions.

PATA Membership

The membership of the PATA is open to all organizations which contributes in the travel and tourism sector directly and indirectly. Generally, the membership of PATA is open to all professional organizations such as airlines, steamship lines, travel agencies, tour operators, hoteliers, government, tourism professional organizations, advertising agencies, and public relations agencies, etc.

PATA has four types of membership:

Membership of PATA

  1. Active Members
  2. Associate Members
  3. Allied Members
  4. Affiliated Members

PATA has 95 government state and city tourism bodies, 25 international airlines and airports, 108 hospitality organizations, 72 educational institutions, and hundreds of travel industry companies in the Asia Pacific and beyond. Thousands of travel industry professionals belong to PATA.

Every year the member of PATA meet at an annual conference to discuss various issues and activities of the association. The member elects the Board of Directors for three or two years terms. The control and management of PATA are vested in the hands of active members.

The board of director (50) meets every month at its headquarter. The head of the association is the president elected by the members of assisted by a full-time vice-president and other administrative professionals, to carry out the smooth functioning of the corporation.

PATA Chapters

PATA, in order to achieve its objectives, has set up a well-defined network of regional and promotional chapters. The regional chapters are situated within the Pacific area and provide information, organize training programmes for members, improve the quality of plants and services, and take the step to increase regional tourism traffic.

The promotional chapters are situated outside the Pacific area and are responsible for the promotion of the travel trade. Practically, the activities of these chapters are designed to increase the tourist traffic in the Pacific region by organizing regular meetings of the members, organizing trade fairs, educational programs, untapped natural resources, and seminars/conferences on various Pacific destinations.

Roles and Functions of PATA

Generally, PATA’s main aim is the progressive development and promotion of tourism to its member countries. The contribution, role, and functions of PATA towards its members can be studied under the following points:

  • PATA conducts research studies on tourism.
  • PATA organizes marketing programs.
  • Provides detailed and up-to-date information.
  • Organize events in the Pacific region.
  • Helps in economic development.
  • PATA helps in the improvement of tourist plants and service facilities.
  • PATA helps the member countries to introduce a corrective measure to increase tourist traffic.