Sri Lanka wins bid to host PATA

At the head table from left: SLAITO President Mahen Kariyawasam, PATA CEO Mario Hardy, SLCB CEO Vipula Wanigasekera, SriLankan Chairman Ajith Dias, Kevin Murphy (PATA), Karnataka Tourism Minister Sri Deshpande and SriLankan representative Dimuthu Tennakoon 

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) will be holding its annual summit in Sri Lanka in 2017 after the bid submitted by the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau with the support of the industry was accepted.

PATA Chief Executive Officer Mario Hardy made this announcement at a major event hosted by the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau and SriLankan Airlines in Bangalore where Sri Lanka was presented as the latest tourism and MICE destination in Asia to hosted buyers of PATA attending PATA Travel Mart in Bangalore.

A high-powered team attending this event from Sri Lanka consisted of SriLankan Airlines Chairman Ajith Dias, Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB) CEO Vipula Wanigasekera, Sri Lankan Inbound Tour Operators Association (SLAITO) President Mahen Kariyawasam and members of Sri Lanka Professional Conference and Exhibition Organisers (SLAPCEO), travel industry of Sri Lanka, senior officers of SLCB and SriLankan Airlines. SLAPCEO was represented by Paddy Paul together with industry members who met a large cross section of the buyers during this event.

Wanigasekera presented reasons for the phenomenal growth of tourism and MICE tourism and why this trend would continue in the coming years. He mentioned the factors that attribute to the unique memorable experience that the visitors, be they leisure or MICE, take back from Sri Lanka which has helped Sri Lanka through word of mouth without a major advertising or PR campaign though one is expected to be launched soon.

Apart from Sri Lanka being a MICE location, Wanigasekera presented the finer attractions that can entice special niches of travellers that are yet to be projected in marketing campaigns beyond the eight wonderful experiences. Storylines in locations, shipwrecks, the largest living creatures witnessed from one land, Port Tarshish in the first testament presumed to be Galle, hot water wells said to prolonging lifespans, and location for spiritual seekers were among the lesser known attractions presented at this event to hundreds of international tourism buyers.

SriLankan Airlines representative Dimuthu Tennakoon presented the latest plan for growth and the markets that the National Airline would be tapping while SriLankan Airlines Chairman Ajith Dias welcomed the guests, explaining the Government policy towards the development of the national career.

PATA CEO Mario Hardy in his speech announced that Sri Lanka was chosen as the venue for PATA Annual Summit in 2017 in response to the bid submitted by Sri Lanka Convention Bureau with the support of the industry.

Hardy said: “I would like to take this wonderful opportunity to announce something special. It is honour and pleasure for me to announce that the PATA Annual Summit in 2017 will take place in Negombo, Sri Lanka.”

Negombo was chosen out of the four options given – Negombo, Cultural Triangle, Kandy and Bentota/Beruwala.

“In the last few months we have been working on getting a few major tourism events to Sri Lanka and PATA was one such conference, which will bring over 300 international tourism professionals into Sri Lanka. Apart from the event, it offers an opportunity for our industry to showcase its products and services. PATA will publicise Sri Lanka through its communication channels over the next two years,” said Wanigasekera. 

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is internationally acclaimed for acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region and the association provides aligned advocacy, insightful research and innovative events to its member organisations, comprising 87 governments, 31 international airlines, airports and cruise lines, 61 educational institutions, and hundreds of travel industry companies in Asia Pacific and beyond.