The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has offered its resources and support to a new tourism recovery initiative collectively launched by China, Japan and Korea (ROK).

The three countries agreed on 29 May to jointly develop a crisis management manual to combat future crises. They also agreed to work with the private sectors in all three countries to help Japan’s tourism industry recover from the March 11 tsunami.

“Golden tour routes” linking the three nations will also be developed as a result of the meeting.

PATA’s Interim CEO Mr Bill Calderwood pledged the support of PATA’s own newly initiated Rapid Recovery Task Force. PATA will also make available assorted crisis management and communications guidelines developed by PATA for the travel industry over the last eight years.

Calderwood said that PATA was ready to help the three countries with the speedy dissemination of accurate information, rapid implementation of standard operating procedures, and effective communication and promotional strategies. “PATA’s aim is to give practical assistance to member destinations impacted by crisis. Speedy recovery of the travel sector is the goal,” he said.

The CEO said that travel patterns between China, Japan and Korea were very large and intimately connected. “Each of these destinations is highly dependent on the other for huge volumes of inbound and outbound travel. It is logical that they should collaborate to rebuild their business. PATA will offer practical support to the best of its abilities,” he said.

The tripartite agreement between the three tourism giants in Northeast Asia was reached at a meeting in Pyeongchang, Korea (ROK) attended by Mr Akihiro Ohata, Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister of Japan, Mr Choung Byoung-Gug, Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister of Korea (ROK), and Mr Shao Qiwei, Chairman of the China National Tourism Administration. The three countries committed themselves to collaboration in all sectors of the travel industry to help Japan’s recovery.

At the PATA 60th Anniversary and Conference in Beijing in April 2011, PATA pledged to create its own Rapid Recovery Task Force to address post-crisis recovery strategies in the face of natural, economic, or political upheaval in member destinations. The Task Force, which is under creation, will comprise a group of PATA members who are international professionals with extensive experience in the field of crisis management and recovery strategies.