THE PACIFIC ASIA TRAVEL MART

Place: Kuala Lumpur
Date: 27 – 30 Sept. 2005

Initiatives of the agency:

About PATA: The Pacific Asia Travel Mart held in Kuala Lumpur between the 27- 30 of September, 2005 attracts destinations from throughout Asia Pacific making it the regions premier travel trade event. PATA is the ultimate contact show for travel products in Asia Pacific, the world’s most Dynamic region.

Objective: The Department of Tourism, Govt. of Karnataka participated in the PATA to explore the opportunities available in the Asia Pacific region. With the department participating in major travel exhibitions like the WTM and the ITB with excellent results over the past couple of years the department decided to participate at PATA.

In addition to the Dept of Tourism, Govt. of Karnataka, State Tourism Depts. from Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Bihar, Uttaranchal and a host of Indian private players from the Tourism/Travel and Hospitality industry participated at the PATA.

Karnataka Tourism’s initiative at PATA: Noting the importance that the Asia Pacific region held for promoting tourism, the Department of Tourism, Govt. of Karnataka decided to participate at the PATA.

A total of 24sq.mts of stall space was taken up by the department. The Department was represented by the Minister Sri. D. T. Jayakumar, Secretary I .T & Y Smt. Shanthakumari, Commissioner of Tourism and MD KSTDC, Sri. Yogendra Tripathi and MD of Jungle Lodges & Resorts, Mr. Vinay Luthra.

The following were the elaborate preparations the agency had made before event.

• An e-mailer was developed and mailed to over 2000 key trade and travel partners from all over the world. The e-mailer was intended to invite the trade partner to the stall and meet with the delegation from Karnataka.
• Subsequently, two reminders were sent by e-mail to all the travel trade partners inviting them to visit the Karnataka Stall at the PATA. This was also done with the intention of fixing meetings with key Departmental Representatives during the travel mart.
• Meetings were fixed with key travel and trade partners from the region.
• Co-ordination with the Organizers (appointed by the Dept. of Tourism, Govt. of India) to get the panels printed for use in the Karnataka Stall. A total of 10 panels were printed for the exhibition.
• These panels were chosen on destinations that could be sold on the International Platform.

Highlights of the event

Over 300 representatives visited the Karnataka stall and a good amount of awareness was created about the tourism potential in the state. Visitors were provided with information on various destinations in Karnataka. Also, a comprehensive list of important contacts consisting of representatives of the trade from across many countries was compiled. Something that will further strengthen our initiatives in developing a Direct Marketing program to generate business links with these organizations. Several travel consultants expressed interest in visiting Karnataka for a familiarization tour.

Ms. Anne Biging, Managing Director of Tourism Marketing Group International, Germany has planned to visit Karnataka coming January for a familiarization tour and interact with the travel agents/ tour operators here in Karnataka.

On learning about the infrastructure facilities in Bangalore and Mysore
Mr. Kasper Ronnow, venue sourcing representative of the WYSTC has considered these locations for The World Youth and Student Travel Conference to hold the conference in 2009.

• More than 100 people visited the Karnataka stall during the event.
• Meetings with key visitors to the Karnataka Stall have been photographed. The same is appended.
• A lot of awareness could be created about Karnataka Tourism among the visitors to the stall.
• Each of the visitors was provided with a kit containing brochures on various destinations in Karnataka.
• We were also able to compile a list of important contacts from the travel trade across many countries.
• These contacts will enable us in the months to come to develop a Direct Marketing program to generate business links with these organizations.
• Some of the Travel consultants expressed interest to come over to Karnataka for a familiarization tour.
• In addition, some Travel Journalists have shown interest to visit destinations in Karnataka and write about the same in their articles.
• Interest has also been shown by Travel industry partners from Singapore, Malaysia and Paris to assist us in putting together Road Shows on Karnataka (to promote tourism potential in the State) to reach out to the Travel Trade in their respective regions.