The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) announced that PATA Travel Mart 2013 (PTM2013) and PATA Board Meeting will be hosted by the City of Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China in September 2013, at its PATA’s Executive Board Meeting on July 28, at the Hotel ICON, in Kowloon, Hong Kong.

Mr Martin J Craigs, PATA CEO, revealed this encouraging news over the weekend at a memorable meeting of the new Executive Board, the highest governance group within PATA. Mr Mu Tao, Deputy Director of Chengdu Municipal Tourism Administration, together with other officials from the Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Exposition and the Chengdu Culture & Tourism Development Group gave briefings on Chengdu’s advantages in terms of geographical location and meeting facilities.

As the leading travel event in the Asia Pacific region, PATA Travel Mart brings together hundreds of international buyers and sellers in one marketplace and offers opportunities for travel industry stakeholders to build their business through pre-scheduling appointments, dynamic education programmes and social functions. Following Hong Kong, Hangzhou and Macau, Chengdu is the fourth Chinese city to win the bid to host PATA Travel Mart, and will be the first city to host PTM in Midwest China.

Eng João Manuel Costa Antunes, PATA Chairman, said: “It is refreshing to see the increasing involvement of China in the organisation of PATA key events. The successful bid of Chengdu to host PTM2013 is very meaningful, not only because it will be the first time for a main event of the association to travel to the Midwest of China, but also because Sichuan will be able to show to Asia-Pacific travel industry stakeholders its rich tourism resources and the amazing reconstruction works done four years after the devastating earthquake.”

Mr Martin J Craigs, PATA CEO, said “PATA has been working closely with Chengdu in many capacities over the past years including the development of tourism training, co-branding a seminar on global tourism trends and destination marketing. We are confident that Chengdu can attract a good quality and quantity of international visitors as well as buyers to PATA Travel Mart 2013. This is another great reason to join the PATA next generation family and build your business.”

Mr Mu Tao, Deputy Director of Chengdu Municipal Tourism Administration, said “Hosting PATA Travel Mart will boost the Chengdu’s brand and image; it will also spur the continued growth of the business travel and exhibition economy. Chengdu is one of the China most multi-faceted tourist cities with abundant and innovative MICE resources. In the urban area are Panda Base, Wuhou Temple, Du Fu Thatched Cottage and Kuan & Zhai Lanes are the most-visited attractions for international visitors. Mount Qingcheng, Xiling Snow Mountain, Tianfu town and other scenic areas are within one hour’s drive. In collaboration with PATA, we are confident we will host a particularly fruitful and memorable PTM in the City of Chengdu.”