The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has announced a new campaign with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) entitled, “PATA Loves ASEAN.”  The main pillar of the initiative is a US$300,000 advertising campaign on the Travel Channel to promote responsible ASEAN tourism experiences.

As part of the campaign, PATA gave a presentation at the ASEAN Tourism Ministers’ meeting at the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) in Kuching, Malaysia on 19 January and at the ATF National Tourism Office (NTO) meeting on 17 January.

In the presentations, PATA updated Ministers and NTOs on the TV campaign, which is expected to run in June. Five responsible tourism categories will be highlighted by the adverts: nature tourism, culture and heritage tourism, community-based tourism, cruise and river tourism, and travel for health and wellness.

Some US$300,000-worth of Travel Channel TV air time, comprising 210 60-second clips, featuring all 10 ASEAN member states, will be facilitated by PATA for ASEAN members.

“The TV campaign on the Travel Channel will exclusively showcase responsible and sustainable products by ASEAN,” said PATA CEO Martin Craigs. “ASEAN has emerged as a global leader of sophisticated niche tourism products that have a caring and community touch. The PATA Loves ASEAN campaign will promote those products, which are also part of ASEAN’s strategic tourism plan for 2012-2015,” he said.

In the TV roll-out, the PATA’s Love ASEAN logo and the ASEAN consumer tourism slogan “Southeast Asia: Feel the Warmth” will both feature. The adverts will be seen across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

“The 10 members of ASEAN will help unleash the full potential of what is already one of the world’s most dynamic regions,” said Ivy Chee, PATA Regional Director – East Asia. “The PATA Loves ASEAN campaign will illustrate the benefits to host and guest by embracing responsible tourism as part of Southeast Asia’s connected visitor economy,” she said.

In the presentation sessions on 19 January to Ministers and NTOs at ATF, PATA previewed its new five-year tourism arrivals forecasts. The forecasts were based on a sophisticated statistical model developed by PATA with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University School of Hotel and Tourism Management, Asia’s most advanced fully integrated tourism training centre.

ASEAN Tourism Ministers have already commented favourably. “I’m impressed and intrigued to work with PATA leading up to our hosting of ATF in 2015,” said H.E. Mr. U Htay Aung, Union Minister of Hotels and Tourism Myanmar said.

“I cannot invent the future but with PATA’s forecasting model, we can be better prepared.” H.E Mr. Ramon Jr. Jimenez, Secretary of Tourism, Philippines stated.

The host of the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, H.E. Dato‘ Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, Minister of Tourism and Culture, Malaysia said in the open forum that he appreciated PATA and Travel Channel’s initiative.