2012 PATA Helps Promote Malaysia As Premiere Tourist Destination

KUALA LUMPUR, April 21 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's selection as host of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (Pata) 2012 annual conference will be an ideal platform to showcase the country as a premiere tourist destination. Tourism Malaysia acting director-general Azizan Noordin said Pata 2012 would also help in promoting Malaysia's new products and facilities. "We are excited to host this great event which actually coincides with Tourism Malaysia's 40th anniversary, as catalyst to the industry," he said during a media conference on the 2012 Pata Annual Conference here on Friday. Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is scheduled to open the conference tomorrow at The Royale Chulan Hotel here. Meanwhile, Pata chief executive officer Martin J. Craigs said the association, having been established for more than 60 years, had re-positioned itself to face the challenges of the next generation, through its 'Next Gen' initiative. He said 'Pata Next Gen' expressed the association's commitment to bulid businesses with the new tools of the trade, adding that it was about mindset and the intelligent use of new or next generation technology. About 600 international Pata members and 120 foreign and local media are expected to attend the two-day event. Malaysia previously hosted the conference in 1972, 1986 and 2001. -- BERNAMA