Take a three week trip around the Asia Pacific region with Experience PATA Live this September!
Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) UK & Ireland, in association with Travel Uni, has announced that its annual flagship event, Taste of PATA, will be held virtually this year rebranded as Experience PATA and will be the ultimate showcase of the region.
The event will take place over three weeks from 1st to the 18th of September with a variety of different interactive masterclasses, videos and live sessions to join.
● Experience Live – over 3 Thursdays (3rd, 10th and 17th of September), agents can join 90-minute training sessions tuning into the main arena before visiting each of the supplier ‘stations’ for 7-minute meetings. Agents can complete a Virtual Passport by collecting a ‘stamp’ from each supplier to be in with a chance to win some great prizes!
● Masterclasses – every Tuesday & Wednesday there will be a live destination Zoom masterclass from one of the primary sponsors; tune in live to join in the discussions, Q&A, as well as be in with a chance to win spot prizes. Or watch in your own time on PATA’s Facebook page.
● PATA will also be premiering a host of short videos from suppliers – a great way to top up your knowledge. Take a 10-minute coffee break and check these out on Facebook between the 1st & 18th.
Experience PATA will connect more than 100 travel agents with over 30 suppliers. Primary event sponsors include:
● Tourism Australia
● Outrigger Resorts
● Tourism Thailand
● Philippine Department of Tourism
● Taiwan Tourism Bureau
● Travel Uni
“Agents can sign up for all 3 Experience Live sessions for the chance to meet all exhibitors and win the top prize. They can sign up for individual Masterclasses to tailor their learning to the sessions that interest them. The Masterclasses and a variety of training videos will also be streamed on our Facebook page and added to our website & Travel Uni’s so there’s lots of ways to engage and learn” said Sharon Anderson, PATA Trade & Events Executive.
Commenting on their primary sponsorships, Alison Lee, Destination Trainer UK & Northern Europe at Tourism Australia said: “Tourism Australia is committed to continually supporting our front-line sellers during this challenging time. We hope that Experience PATA will encourage agents to take time to learn and be inspired, while their future customers dream and plan. We know the Brits are resilient travellers who will begin to explore the world again as soon as they are given permission to do so and Australia will have a warm welcome and a G’Day waiting for them.”
Betsie Barr, Trade Marketing Manager at Tourism Thailand said: “We are excited to be joining Experience PATA as a Primary sponsor this year, giving us the opportunity to engage with UK & Ireland agents at one of this year’s most fun and interactive travel training events. We will join all 3 of PATA’s Experience Live sessions where we will transport agents to the Land of Smiles and answer any questions they have. We are also excited to be hosting our own dedicated Masterclass where agents can experience one of Thailand’s most popular wildlife hotspots, Elephant Hills, in the stunning Khao Sok National Park.”
Andrea Hogg, Outrigger Account Director UK added: “Experience PATA is a great opportunity to engage with agents to update them on the protocols that Outrigger Resorts have put in place so they can confidently sell the resorts to their customers.”
NEW for this year is a Virtual Passport initiative where travel agents must get a ‘keyword’ from each supplier to go into a prize draw plus 30-minute Zoom Masterclasses for all suppliers to showcase their product.
Ian Dockreay, Training spokesperson for PATA & MD of Travel Uni and Equator Learning said: “This new virtual experience will really reinforce our key objective of training and educating travel agents, and the industry as a whole, on Pacific Asia’s truly outstanding offering. Experience PATA Live will provide agents with the opportunity to connect and forge relationships with suppliers, together with showcasing the world leading destinations and products the region has to offer. As always we are fully committed to supporting the travel trade and whilst we can’t currently connect in person, we are delighted to provide this exciting new digital platform, continuing to keep Pacific Asia at the forefront of the industry.”
WIN, WIN, WIN!
There are amazing prizes up for grabs over the course of the 3-week event:
– Adopt a Koala from the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital, courtesy of Tourism Australia
– 5-night stay at Outrigger Resorts including half board for two people
– 3-night stay at Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket in a Premier Ocean Front room including breakfast for two people
– 2-night stay at Village Hotel Sentosa including breakfast for two people
– 2-night stay at The Outpost including breakfast for two people
– 2-night stay at The Barracks including breakfast for two people
– 2-night stay at Raya Heritage in a Rin Terrace Suite including breakfast for two people
– 2x theatre tickets to La Perle in Dubai, courtesy of Red Elephant Reps
– £30 John Lewis/Waitrose voucher, courtesy of South Australia Tourism Commission
– 1000-piece Sydney Harbour jigsaw puzzle, courtesy of Destination New South Wales
– Thai Meal Kits courtesy of Tourism Thailand
– Various vouchers, goody bags and wine!
For more information and to register agents can visit: www.pata.org.uk/experience and keep up to date with all the latest videos and event updates on Facebook.
