CHAIRMAN'S MESSAGE

Welcome to our Spring 2003 electronic version of your award-winning PATASCOPE. As we continue to move forward, a singular theme has become more evident than ever … that our unique industry - that we all love-remains RESILIANT … and will survive!

Many of us, to this aim, have had to adjust our market focus and priorities, in proving the old adage that ”where there’s a will … there’s a way”!

While the future is cautiously optimistic, we must continue to work in harmony and your Chapter continues to move in this direction. I urge you to stay connected and involved. Please feel free to communicate with me, and any of your hard-working Board Members, with constructive suggestions on making our Chapter even stronger. I especially draw your attention to our Events Calendar section where an outstanding Mega PATA Discovery Tour to Bali in late February and Bali Educational familiarization tour in conjunction with the Annual PATA Conference in April. And, the exciting News&Notes item on the establishment by PATA of a membership category for young tourism professionals (YTPs) under 35 years old.

I remain committed to our industry, where I also serve as President of the Los Angeles Airline Managers Association and Vice President-elect of SKAL International Los Angeles. Involve yourself … I look forward to seeing you at an upcoming SoCal PATA meeting.

Sincerely,

Steve Alexis
mrasiana@yahoo.com

PATA PEOPLE

Pamela Ryan has been appointed Director of sales, Bora Bora Lagoon Resort and can be reached at pryan310@aol.com

Heinz Niederhoff, previously President, Maupintour, is now Vice President, Product Development with Uniworld, hniederhoff@uniworld.com

Barbara Bryant, longtime fixture at HKTA, Los Angeles, is now Managing Partner of Bryant & Triptree, Ltd., representing the Hong Kong Harbour Plaza Hotels & Resorts, USA, and can be reached at barbarabryant@earthlink.net

PATA Headquarters, Thailand:

Peter A. Semone appointed Vice President for Development. peter@pata.org

Ian Kennedy is the new PATA representative in Australia. jken@pata.org.au

PATA Americas Division:

With the departure of Bill Hastings, Managing Director, Picolla International will be managing the Americas Division on an interim basis while an executive search replacement is underway. Contact Jerry Picolla gep@pata.org and John Semone at johns@pata.org. The Oakland Americas office contact information remains unchanged. Bill may be reached at billhastings@yahoo2003.com .

Simone Bassous, SimonePATA@aol.com is serving as Manager Chapters, USA & Canada.

PATA Europe Division:

PATA has relocated their European office from Monaco to Frankfurt for a more central operation with proximity to its key members and markets and has appointed Ms. Marion Buttler, marion.buttler@web.de as Managing Director-Europe. Fax: (49) 6101-580181.

MAR 17 – "See You in Pacific Asia" PATA Specialist Agents Program Update. Go to www.seeyouinpacificasia.com
APR 24 – ASIA UPDATE & CONFERENCE REPORT Breakfast Seminar
MAY 15 – PACIFIC ISLANDS Dinner Program

Watch for further details tba on these informative and entertaining programs.

FEB 25-MAR 08
**MEGA PATA DISCOVERY TOUR to Malaysia - $299**
Contact Klaus Billep at SoCal PATA office asap (310) 458-3553

APR 7-15
**BALI DISCOVERY PACKAGE TOUR - $575**
In conjunction with first two days of the PATA Annual Conference.
Contact SoCal PATA office prior to March 1st deadline to register.

APR 13-17
52nd PATA Annual Conference, Bali, Indonesia
www.pata.org/frame.cfm?pageid+2&ebid=38

OCT 1-3
26th PATA Travel Mart, Suntec, Singapore
www.pata.org.frame.cfm?pageid=2&ebid=37

Destination Links - www.pata.org/frame.cfm?pageid=3
PATA-member airlines - www.pata.org/frame.cfm?pageid=4
PATA press releases - www.pata.org/frame.cfm?pageid=12
Order PATA publications - www.pata.org/frame3.cfm?pageid=6
Post a job opening or find a position - www.pata.org/frame.cfm?pageid=7
Special tour offers - www.seeyouinpacificasia.com

• Become a PATA Specialist in this new consumer access program by requesting a “Ride the Wave of Pacific Asia Travel” brochure from gep@pata.org.
• Tourism professionals under 35 years of age can now join PATA as a Young Tourism Professional (YTP) for a modest membership fee of $25 from which you can benefit from numerous PATA member benefits including delegate registration for the PATA Annual Conference in Bali, April 13-17, for only $99.Contact Aaron Tan, PATA Membership Development, at aaron@pata.th.com or the SoCal PATA office admin@socalpata.org for a YTP Membership application form.
• PATA’s “See You in Pacific Asia 2003” supplement will be featured in six publications this year, including National Geographic Traveler, Travel Holiday, Islands, Saveur, Travel Weekly, Travel Agent, in addition to USA Today, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and Washington Times. For complete advertising information contact Paul Cohen @(410) 224-7688 or paul@pata.org .
• PATA merchandise available includes a sports watch and polo shirt for $30 and $20 respectively. Available in various sizes. For more information and to order, contact merchandise@pata.th.com .
• The Korea National Tourism Organization announced that 2002 yielded a record number of visitors for the nation at 5.3m foreign visitors marking a 4% growth over the previous year. US visitors totaled nearly half a million, an increase of almost 8% over the previous year. Contact KNTO at (800) 868-7567.
• Fiji, Hong Kong, Vietnam also reported 2002 visitor arrival increases from the USA - Fiji 17%, Hong Kong SAR 25% and Vietnam showed an increase of 11%.
• India Tourism reports that celebrated music composer Mr. A. R. Rehman will be bringing his “Unity of Light” concerts to Los Angeles and New York later this year. This “Hollywood type” production featuring 95 artists of music and dance will have special lighting and huge projection screens. India Tourism Office, Los Angeles goitola@aol.com .
• The Kahala Mandarin Oriental has been recognized as the “Best New Hotel Spa in America” by Departures magazine. Info at www.mandarinoriental.com .
• Ritz Tours, in Alhambra, is offering an early bird discount of $100 per person on all its China and Yangtze River and China and Asia travel packages for bookings made by the end of the month. www.ritztours.com.
• Accor is offering travel agents AND tour operators “Accor Travel Agents Rates” at all its hotels under the Sofitel, Novitel and Mercure brands. Special rates of 25-75% off normal rack rates, with no minimum/maximum stay required. Contact: Racette_Tom@accor-hotels.com.
• Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is offering travel agents a complimentary stay at any Fairmont hotel for bookings of 5 or more consecutive nights at the Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii. (formerly the Orchid at Mauna Lani.) www.fairmont.com/travelprofessional.

CURRENT PATA OFFICERS

Chairman: Bo W. Long, Sea Cloud Cruises
President & CEO: Peter de Jong
Secretary: Ram Kohli, Creative Travel
Chairman-Elect: Richard J. Gordon, Secretary of Tourism, Philippines

PATA MEMBER DESTINATIONS

American Samoa, Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Canada, Cook Islands, Fiji, Guam, Hawaii, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Macau, Maldives, Marianas, Malaysia, Mexico, Micronesia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, North Korea, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Peoples Republic of China, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Tahiti, Taiwan, Thailand, Tonga, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Western Samoa

Indonesian Tourism Promotion Office staffers promote the upcoming Bali Discovery Chapters Tour, April 7-15, and Annual PATA Conference in Bali, April 13-17, at the recent Asian Update breakfast SoCal program.