THE Federation of ASEAN Travel Associations (FATA) wants to expand its membership base to cover Asia-Pacific in order to play a more effective role on the global platform.
However, for that to happen, FATA will first have to garner support from other travel associations in the region.
Its president, Mohd Khalid Harun, said he would go to Japan at the end of this month to meet with counterparts there, before proceeding to do the same in China. “We have to go country by country to promote the idea and get support.”
Khalid explained: “(We) are small, with only 10 members. We want to create a bigger association comprising members from Asia-Pacific in order to be a strong global player and to make decisions on travel (consultant)-related issues affecting the Asia-Pacific region.”
As for coming up against the region’s other established association, he said FATA’s concept and reach would differ from PATA’s, “as we will focus solely on issues concerning travel and tour operators in the Asia-Pacific”.
“If all goes well, we hope to form the Asia-Pacific Travel Association in a year’s time.”
Read more in the ATF Daily
