Newly-elected PATA Chairman Phornsiri Manoharn believes the Association has an increasingly important role to play in the current global economic crisis. She told the Association’s AGM in Macau SAR on Sunday, April 19 that PATA will continue to work closely with its very broad membership base.

She also made a firm commitment to support PATA President and CEO Greg Duffell in his drive to deliver added-value to all Association members. “For more than five decades PATA has played a significant role in shaping and enhancing the growth, value and quality of the Asia Pacific tourism industry.

by Joachim Fischer, Shanghai

Decision makers and organizers of exhibition and incentive trips used their stay in Shanghai for the trade fair IT&CM China as an opportunity to visit Radisson Hotel Pudong Century Park.

The trade fair, which takes place in the Chinese metropolis every April, is now in its third year. The event is organized by TTG Asia and trade organization MPI (Meeting Planner International), and buyers of business and incentive trips, as well as journalists from all over the world are flown in to Shanghai free of cost each year.

Tour operator SunTrips now provides its clients and all travel agencies with a revised version of its combination tool (dynamic packaging). The new version may be found at www.suntrips.de under „Kombinationen“ and „Agenturlogin“, as well as on the websites of the linked travel agency partners (app. 650 websites throughout Germany).

All travel agencies have the opportunity to embed this tool on their own website free of charge via i-Frame and to adjust the colors to complement their site. The major updates are availability checks of hotels (traffic light feature) for a given travel period and prior calculation of departure fees on the date of departure (this allows the clients and travel agencies to determine from the beginning which airline is the least expensive).

by Joachim Fischer, Shanghai

Bremen has handed in its Expo Special Day plan and its plan for events during Expo 2010 to the organizers. A promotion event of Bremen businessmen was also held in the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination yesterday.

Huang Jianzhi, deputy director general of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, introduced the latest progress of Expo preparation to the Bremen Delegation headed by Dr. Heiner Heseler, Bremen’s Economic and Harbor Minister.

by Joachim Fischer, Shanghai

The name of the mascot of World Expo 2010 Shanghai China is Hai Bao, which means the treasure of the sea. The name of Hai Bao is easy to remember, echoes with the color of its body and is a typical lucky name in Chinese tradition.

Hai Bao is the good will ambassador of Shanghai Expo. He embraces friends from all over the world with his arms and confident smile.

The industry celebrates as 50 outstanding organisations clinch the prestigious award

TTG China Travel Awards 2009, dubbed the ‘Oscars of China’s Travel Industry’, was presented on Thursday at the Shanghai World Financial Centre to 50 exemplary travel organisations who have made an indelible mark on readers of TTG China, TTG Asia, TTGmice and TTG-BTmice China.

The heavyweights of China’s travel and tourism industry came together for a night of celebration at the second TTG China Travel Awards. These 50 winners have emerged as the crème de la crème of the industry, even as competition stiffens, with new travel organisations joining the playing field yearly.