CNMI tourism stakeholders invited to PATA summit in Guam

PATA-Micronesia chapter is inviting tourism stakeholders in the CNMI to participate in the 2016 PATA International Summit that will be held for the first time in Guam in May. In the photo, from left to right, are chapter vice chair and FSM Tourism Unit Division of Resources Management and Development program manager Bermance Aldis, chapter treasurer and MVA acting managing director Judy Torres, Guam’s Sen. Tina Muña-Barnes, and chapter chair Pilar Laguaña. (Frauleine Villanueva-Dizon)

The Pacific Asia Travel Association- Micronesia Chapter is inviting stakeholders in the CNMI to take part in the PATA-International annual summit which will be held in Guam for the very first time in May.

Guam is among the founding members of PATA, which is celebrating its 65th anniversary this year.

“This is an opportunity that we, the entire region of Micronesia, have a chance to be in the limelight, in front of very significant stakeholders that move travel and tourism to, within, and from the Pacific Asia area. It’s an exciting time for us in the industry,” PATA-Micronesia Chapter chair Pilar Laguaña told Saipan Tribune.

“We never had this type of platform before given to us, but we are such an active chapter that I think they noticed us,” she added.

As a member of the PATA-Micronesia Chapter, the Marianas Visitors Authority will be among the attendees from the CNMI.

“MVA is joining, our new managing director will be on board that time and he will also be attending as a PATA board member. At the same time, MVA will also be there to showcase our destination through a hospital desk to the delegation that will be attending,” chapter treasurer and MVA acting managing director Judy Torres said.

Torres said interested parties in the CNMI need not to be PATA members to attend, however, their membership enrolment is always open.

“It’s a good conference to attend. We have the key players, key stakeholders that will be there and they will bring a wealth of information in terms of tourism industry,” Torres said.

The summit will be held from May 18 to 22 at the Dusit Thani Guam Resort, with the one-day conference happening on May 19.

“Our theme for this summit, we wanted it to relate to Pacific Islanders, its called, ‘Exploring the Secrets of the Blue Continent.’ Blue continent because there’s ocean between all of us and yet we are one. We are really united as one,” Laguaña said.

“We have wonderful speakers that will talk about issues related to future forecast trends of travel and tourism in the Asia-Pacific area and we will have speakers that will talk about sustainable tourism which is always a big issue to us,” she added.

Other topics include ‘Shaping the Intangibles through Hyper Connections’;  ‘Driving Solo or Following the Pack’,  ‘Mastering the Skill of Future Trend Forecast’; ‘Techie HCD Solutions for Higher Profitability’; ‘Creating One of the Best Workspaces’, and ‘Less Space, More Popularity–Finding the Balance’. 

Confirmed speakers include Andrew Dixon, owner of Nikoi and Cempedak Islands; Daniel Levine, director, The Avant-Guide Institute; Eric Ricaurte, founder and CEO of Greenview; Mark Schwab, CEO of Star Alliance; Sarah Mathews, head of Destination Marketing APAC at TripAdvisor, and Zoltán Somogyi, executive director for Programme and Coordination at the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

On May 21, PATA and the United Nations World Tourism Organization will join forces and host a half day ministerial debate.

“This is the first time in history that we have PATA and the UN together in the Pacific and it’s going to happen in our region,” Laguaña said, “It will be a very exciting event because we have BBC World, they are a huge sponsor of PATA.”

Events for the youth will also be held on the first day of the summit at the University of Guam together with the Guam Community College and the Guam Visitors Bureau is assisting them,” Laguaña said.

“We will have PATA tourism experts go to the youth symposium and speak to the students about issues that concern the students and what’s on their mind for future tourism development for the islands,” she added.

Pre- and post-tours for the Micronesian islands for the delegates are also being arranged.

“We are inviting anyone interested in travel and tourism, find some time to go to pata.org…and you’ll see the information about the summit on Guam and they can register as a delegate. There are fees to it but it is an incredible opportunity,” Laguaña said.