PATA Life Members said that the association’s new Future Strategic Focus (see related story) is ambitious, and that proof of the pudding will be in its ability to identify and execute priorities.
Alwin Zecha, executive chairman, Pacific Leisure Thailand, said: “It’s ambitious, and to achieve, it must assume a good support team. The question is, do you have that support team and the people who share your ambition? It also presumes an executive board that also has the same type of make-up – now I won’t comment on that.”
Asked what interim CEO Bill Calderwood had to do first, Zecha said: “The first thing he has to do is to stop the downward spiral the association had been allowed to slip into in the last two years. It’s lost track of its vision and mission. The three things supposedly to be done, ie, increase/enlarge premier partnership, increase/improve membership and activate/improve chapters, all that has shrunk.
“On the other side, better communication with members hasn’t happened. Accountability and transparency have not happened. Financially, nobody was even given an opportunity to address the financials at the board or any meeting here.
“So while it is fair to say the new strategic focus is a good one, I’m not comfortably confident yet. We’ve had motherhood plans before, some moved faster and better than others, but so many had fallen by the wayside because the implementation left much to be desired.”
Joe McInerney, president & CEO of American Hotel & Lodging Association, said: “It’s an excellent plan…a great framework to move forward with. What it needs is focus, and a CEO who is in sync with the strategic plan and with what members want.
“I think priorities, such as building membership, are correct, as it resolves the deficit issue. Also, to take a look at the function PATA is doing, some might not be as relevant as we move into a different age. A third priority is to be in touch with members at the chapter level or international level to make sure you are in tune with what they want from the organisation.”
Michael Pauline, chairman of Aqua Hotels US, said: “The strategic plan must be executed in a step-by-step manner. For me, the overriding priority is restoring the PATA brand, with a strategy that embodies PR and the work of PATA Intelligence, among others, as it has been usurped by the WTTC and UNWTO in our region. The other two priorities for me are sustainability and training and education.”
