Director of Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO), João Manuel Costa Antunes was elected Vice Chairman of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) for the year 2010-2012, and at the same time, Chairman-Elect of PATA for the next term. This year, PATA’s Annual Meeting was held between April 22 to 26 in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. On April 24, the council elected João Manuel Costa Antunes Vice Chairman of PATA for the year 2010-2012. Founded in 1951, PATA is a non-profit membership association dedicated to building responsible development of the Asia Pacific travel and tourism industry. MGTO has been a member of PATA for over half a century since 1958. PATA is recognized as a leading tourism organization in the Asia Pacific Region. It has currently over 800 full members and 7,474 chapter members around the globe. PATA's membership boasts about 104 government, state and city tourism bodies, 51 airlines and cruise lines, and hundreds of travel industry companies. PATA Chapter is the foundation of the Association with 39 chapters all over the world, of which PATA Macau Chapter was set up in 1983 and it has over 70 members at present. There has been a close tie between Macau and PATA. MGTO has participated in different tourism events and activities organized by PATA. Between 1980 and 2002, PATA conducted 5 task force projects to provide guidelines and recommendations of tourism development in Macau. These projects include “Macau – A study of Tourism Development” in 1980 regarding the balance between preservation and tourism development; “Macau Education Task Force” in 1990 that concerning overall education and training framework to meet short and long term manpower needs; “Macau tourism in Transition” in 1994 which is about development of a MICE destination; “Macau Tourism Marketing – A new Focus for the Millennium” in 1996 which talked about setting up overseas representation office; “A study of the Future of Macau’s Tourism and its International Airport in the Context of the Pearl River Delta Region” in 2002 regarding market diversification and interrelationship between aviation network and marketing promotion. Since 1996, MGTO has been supporting the PATA Gold Awards Luncheon, so as to promote Macau tourism. In 2005, the 54th PATA Annual Conference was successfully held in Macau and its MICE industry then entered a new era.
Antunes was awarded PATA Life Membership in 2005. Previous to the appointment as the Chairman-Elect, he played a role as the member of Executive Committee, Board of Directors, Audi & Finance Committee, Honours Committee, as well as Chair in the Nominating Committee and Government/Destination Committee. According to the bylaws of PATA, the Chairman-Elect will serve for a two-year term with immediate effect, and shall succeed to the Office of Chairman upon expiration of the preceding Chairman’s term, for another two years. Macau SAR Government extends her warmest congratulations to Director Antunes for the appointment and believes his role can further strengthen cooperation between PATA and MGTO, boosting the multi-diversification development of Macau, consolidating Macau’s position as an international leisure and business tourism destination. PATA Travel Mart 2010 – one of the largest travel fair in Asia will be held in September in Macau, and the Macau SAR Government will take an active role for the preparatory work for the success of this prestigious event.
