Macao to Host 54th PATA Annual Conference in 2005

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 ◆ Macao to Host 54th PATA Annual Conference in 2005

China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) has won the right to host the 54th Annual Conference of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) in 2005, an opportunity both to show its strength as a tourist Mecca and to promote the tourism business.

Joao Manuel Costa Antunes, director of the Macao Government Tourist Office, announced recently that it would be the first time for Macao to host the PATA annual conference, on the preferred dates from April 3 to 8, 2005.

The SAR is making provision in terms of "both hardware and software" for the event, which will be unveiled by the chief executive, the official said at a press release.

The venue for the conference will be the convention and exhibition hall of the newly-opened Macao Tower, which can accommodate nearly 2,000 guests.

Being an active member of PATA since 1966, Macao has participated in different PATA activities -- the authority on Pacific Asia travel and tourism, providing leadership to the collective efforts of 41 national government members, 48 state and local tourism bodies, 66 airlines and cruise lines and nearly 2,000 travel industry companies.

Antunes said that preparations for hosting the 2005 conference started in 1995 and won support from the China National Tourism Administration.

A pillar industry in Macao, tourism generates substantial revenue to local economy. In 2001, the SAR received a record of more than 10 million tourists.