Pacific Asia Travel Association : (The PATA)
The Pata founded in the year of 1951; and its known as the Pacific Asia Travel Association. Its continues to be the leading Authority, Advocate and Catalyst for the Responsible Development of the Asia Pacific's Travel and Tourism Industries and Agencies. The Pata's Uniquely structured Organization has helped unite the many facets of tourism in the region. The Pata provides leadership and Advocacy to the collective efforts of nearly 100 Government, State & City Tourism Bodies; more than 55 Airlines and Cruise Lines, and Hundreds of Travel Industries Company. In Addition, Thousands of Travel Professionals belong to a Global Network of the PATA chapters. The Pacific Asia Travel Association (The Pata) is an membership Association acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of the Asia Pacific Travel and Tourism Industries. In partnership with PATA's private and public sector members, we enhance the sustainable growth; value and quality of Travel and Tourism to, From and within the region.
Even with the clarity of vision that hindsight provides, it would be difficult to imagine a better time to have started the Pacific Interim Travel Association than that chosen by the Organizers and 91 Delegates to the First Pacific Area Travel Conference in 1952. They had displayed an uncanny sense of timing in addressing an issue whose time had come, which in the largest sense, was developing travel to the Pacific region. Pacific Asia Travel Association proactively supports the programmers of the End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes) and Child Wise Tourism in Southeast Asia. PATA actively participates in their programmers and is active on their think tank committees. Currently, this group (The Pata, The ECPAT & The Child Wise) is working on a revised Tourism Code for visitors to Southeast Asia. The Group hopes to get the Governments of ASEAN to consider distributing via their immigration cards a Code of Conduct to All arriving Tourists. The Code will encourage Tourists to only leave a Footprint behind to respect indigenous Culture and Heritage; to respect all people including Women and Children; and to buy local Products.
Another area where the Pata has been supportive of Alleviating Child Sex Tourism is through their annual PATA Gold Awards; its highly esteemed and prestigious awards given out every year at their Annual Conference. In 2003; the Pata awarded Occur Hotels the Gold Award for their Education Program (Among Staff) to Alleviate Child Sex within their Hotels. This has been a highly acclaimed program and has developed a Firm understanding among Accor's many Employees in the Asia Region of how to be on the lookout for and respond to violations of young people.
The Pata remains an Advocate of the Alleviation of Trafficking Activities. The Pata frequently reminds its public and private sector Stake-Holders of the dangers of these activities. The hope is that these crimes against women and young people can be eliminated as a component of the Asia Pacific Travel & Tourism.