Putrajaya, 21 March 2012: Malaysia will be hosting the 2012 PATA Annual Conference from 19 to 22 April 2012, making it the fourth time in forty years that the nation was doing so.

Organised by PATA, Pacific Asia Travel Association, at The Royale Chulan Kuala Lumpur, the conference will be themed "Building the Business Beyond Profits" where some of Asia Pacific's conscientious entrepreneurs and industry practitioners will share their successful managerial and entrepreneurship business models and principles with international and local delegates.

The conference will be the best platform for delegates comprising of travel-related industry players, government and media leaders and officials to experience and acquire new tourism insights from prominent international speakers. Among the topics are:
• PATA Next Generation
• Leading in Challenging Times
• Building Business Excellence
• Tourism Roundtable Discussions - Emerging Markets, Crisis Management and New Technology
• The Social Entrepreneurs' Challenge
• ASEAN 2015 - Great Expectations: One Vision, One Identity, One Community
• The Entrepreneurs' Challenge - The Winning Business Model Revealed
Some 600 international PATA members and 120 foreign and local media are expected to attend the event which comprises the annual general meeting from 19 to 20 April and the conference from 21 to 22 April. There is also opportunity for them to visit various attractions in the country either before or after the conference.

"We're excited to host the PATA Annual Conference again which actually coincides with Tourism Malaysia's 40th anniversary as catalyst to the industry. This will be a great platform to showcase Malaysia as a premier tourist destination and to promote our new products and facilities to the world," Tourism Malaysia acting director-general YBhg. Dato' Azizan Noordin said.

"We urge all travel trade members in Malaysia, the hoteliers, the tourism officers, airlines and airports representatives, tour operators, tourism product operators and students to join as delegates," he added. Registration for the conference can be done at www.PATA.org.

Tourism Malaysia has been an active Government member of PATA since 1965 alongside 80 member organizations in Malaysia. Malaysia previously hosted the conferences in 1972, 1986 and 2001.

About PATA:
Founded in 1951, Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is a membership association acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of the Asia Pacific travel and tourism industry. In partnership with the private and public sector members, PATA enhances the sustainable growth, value and quality of travel and tourism to, from and within the region. Find out more at www.PATA.org

For more media releases, media info and media features on Malaysia's tourism industry, kindly visit the Media Centre of Tourism Malaysia's website at http://www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my/

Issued by: Communications & Publicity Division, Tourism Malaysia
Date: 21 March 2012
For more information, kindly contact Anis Ramli at 03-8891 8000
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