TravTalk India Online Magazine
Noor Ahmad Hamid, Chief Executive Officer, Pacific Asia Travel Association, believes that the upcoming 47th edition of PATA Travel Mart in Thailand has the potential to unleash the dormant opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region. This year, 57% of the buyers will be from the leisure segment, adding concrete value propositions to the event, he informs.
Amita Pandey
Noor Ahmad Hamid, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), recently announced at a webinar that the PATA Travel Mart 2024 (PTM 2024) is scheduled to take place from 27-29 August 2024 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) in Bangkok, Thailand. This year’s event is especially significant, as it marks the 25th anniversary of PATA’s presence in Thailand. Hamid also shared exclusive insights about the upcoming event, promising an exciting experience for the participants.
PTM is an international B2B travel trade exhibition that attracts a gathering of more than 1,000 delegates from more than 60 destinations around the world. The event provides unparalleled contracting and networking opportunities. It provides a platform to connect with qualified international buyers, sellers, and echelons of the travel industry from the Asia-Pacific region. It is an educational and informative platform for tourism professionals, students, corporates, and hotels to expand their business network and access decision-makers. Moreover, it also assists in consolidating existing business partnerships.
Hamid informed that PTM 2024 expects 57 per cent of buyers from the leisure segment, 31 per cent from leisure and MICE, and 8 per cent buyers from the MICE segment. This year, the event is going to witness 37 per cent participation from Europe and 12 per cent from Southeast Asia, he said.
One of the exclusive features of PTM 2024 is that it is not being hosted by any destination, which means it would be fully funded by PATA. “Last year, PTM was hosted by the Government of India, but PTM 2024 is not being hosted by the Government of Thailand. It would be fully funded by PATA, which means for every dollar that we spend to host a buyer, we want the return on investment not only to us but more importantly to all the exhibitors,” he said, adding that PATA is committed to ensuring that only buyers with concrete business opportunities participate at the event. When asked about the less participation of buyers from the Latin American region, Hamid replied, “Currently, the cost of hosting long-haul flights is challenging but PATA is open to host any buyer until they are adding value proposition to the business.”
PATA Travel Mart 2023
While highlighting the upside of attending PTM 2024, Hamid illuminated the audience about the success of PTM 2023, which was held at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi in October 2023. “Last year, the exhibition convened 1,106 delegates from 46 countries, including sellers, buyers, media, and young tourism professionals. The event sent ripples across the region with the participation of 92 sellers from 38 countries and 196 buyers from 38 countries,” he said, adding that the event witnessed 47 per cent of buyers from the leisure segment,15 per cent from MICE and 23 per cent exhibitors from the hospitality industry.
Venue
QSNCC in Bangkok boasts of 78,500 sqmt of event space for all sizes of events and an eco-friendly design. Strategically located, the venue is in proximity to a panoply of luxury hotels within five km with over 60 outlets of cafés, street food restaurants, casual dining experiences, and shopping outlets.
