BANGKOK, 19 October 2018: Tourism influencers are set to gather in Khon Kaen, Thailand for the PATA Destination Marketing Forum 2018 28 to 30 November.
The Pacific Asia Travel Association has gathered an impressive line up of speakers and panellists to guarantee and insightful discussions on some of the major issues in marketing and managing tourism growth to lesser-known destinations.
Themed “Growth with Goals”, the event is hosted by the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) with the support of Khon Kaen province.
“The PATA Destination Marketing Forum provides our delegates with an engaging programme that examines the challenges and opportunities for destinations and industry stakeholders in developing attractive, marketable tourism products that maximise social and economic benefits while minimising any negative environmental impacts,” said PATA CEO Mario Hardy.
“The Association recognises that while tourism is a powerful tool for economic growth, job creation, and cultural empathy and understanding across borders, the most interesting and unique attractions – including indigenous culture, wildlife and natural landscapes – are nearly always located in areas where access is difficult, and poverty is often the greatest.
“This important event, in alignment with PATA’s advocacy theme of tourism dispersal, highlights our commitment in contributing to the discussion on the responsible development of the travel and tourism industry.”
Confirmed speakers for the event include Art Thomya, CEO & founder – Art Inspire Company Limited; Benjamin Liao, chairman – Forte Hotel Group; Chris Carnovale, project manager, CBT Vietnam-Vietnam Tourism Training Project – Capilano University, Canada; Damian Cook, CEO & founder – E-Tourism Frontiers; Edmund Morris, Component Lead at USAID Jordan Local Enterprise Support Project (LENS) – USAID; Jens Thraenhart, executive director – Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office; John Williams, vice president advertising sales – Singapore, South & Southeast Asia, BBC Global News; Kei Shibata, co-founder & CEO, LINE TRAVEL jp & Trip101; Michael Goldsmith, vice president of ,arketing – Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority; Peter Semone, chief of party – USAID Tourism for All, Timor-Leste; Richard Cutting-Miller, executive vice president – Resonance; Richard Rose, country director – Lao PDR, Swisscontact; Torsten Edens, COO – Go Beyond Asia, and Willem Niemeijer, CEO – Yaana Ventures.
The event explores various topics including ‘Status of Destination Management Around the World’, ‘The Role of Local Experiences in Destination Marketing’, ‘Managing the Disconnect between Destination Organisations and Communities’, ‘Transborder Marketing: Case Studies of GMS’, ‘Fighting Under tourism Through Innovative Storytelling’, ‘Calculating our Impact as Destinations’, and ‘Leveraging Technology to Revolutionise the Travel Space’.
The conference will also include a workshop on digital marketing, which will use elements from the previous day’s technical tour and tourism marketing treasure hunt.
Located in the heart of Thailand’s northeast region, Khon Kaen is a transport, education and commercial hub, widely known for its traditional Isan culture including its quality Mad Mee silk.
The city is attempting to build a base for an emerging events industry to extend its reach to the international meetings market. It already has a strong track record for hosting domestic meetings mostly linked to government agencies.
The city is also positioned on the east-west and north-south economic corridors that are part of wider projects that will link Myanmar, Thailand, Lao PDR and Vietnam.
Khon Kaen will be one of the cities on a proposed high-speed rail line that will ultimately link China with Laos, Thailand and neighbouring Malaysia. The China-Laos section of the line will be fully operational in 2023 and will eventually extend through Thailand south to commercial ports on the Gulf of Thailand.
In advocating for the responsible and sustainable development of emerging destinations, PATA is pleased to offer complimentary registration to all interested parties who wish to attend. Seats are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that airfare and accommodation costs are the sole responsibility of delegates.
To register for the event or for more information, please visit www.PATA.org/PDMF or email [email protected].
– See more at: https://www.pata.org/full-line-up-of-speakers-confirmed-for-pata-destination-marketing-forum-2018/#sthash.gBb30H4B.dpuf
