PATA will be aggressively making the case for the visitor economy throughout 2013, which is defined as all economic activities in a destination that benefit from direct and indirect expenditure of tourism dollars.
Addressing 150 travel industry professionals at a pre-ATF networking event in Vientiane on January 21, PATA CEO, Martin Craigs, said: “Laos is a prime example of a quickly growing destination where the visitor economy needs to be nurtured.”
In Laos, the visitor economy is estimated to contribute 18.2 per cent to national GDP, 15.9 per cent to total employment and 9.8 per cent of all capital investments, according to PATA statistics. Within South-east Asia, Laos is second only to Cambodia in terms of dependency on travel and tourism. Steps are being taken to create a PATA Laos Chapter, the 42nd in the world.
Craigs also emphasised the importance of enhancing training for tourism professionals. The association is intending to hold four innovative week-long workshops for travel industry managers as part of its new PATAcademy in Bangkok.
Read more in the ATF Daily
