Youths gather at Lyceum for World Tourism Day
MANILA, Philippines - The PATA 2012 Manila Youth Forum, hosted by Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU) and Taylor’s University of Malaysia, celebrated World Tourism Day last Thursday.
This milestone tourism event was participated in by tourism students of various universities in the country and was made possible through the Education and Training committee of PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association), the leading voice and authority on travel and tourism in the region since 1951.
It was the first time the PATA Youth Forum was held in the Philippines, further boosting the country’s tourism efforts, as the event attracted many delegates from various countries in the region.
Attendees found the forum most informative as the topics were geared toward further strengthening one’s foothold in his or her chosen career in the travel industry.
A stellar line-up of speakers shared their expertise with the hundreds of tourism students from all over the country led by PATA CEO Martin Craigs who discussed “How PATA Can Support Your Career.”
The other speakers were Ivy Chee, PATA regional director for East Asia, “PATA and The Next Gen”; Dr. Perry Hobson, pro vice chancellor of Taylor’s University, “Innovation and Marketing”; and Rika Jean-Francois, regional manager for South Asia and Pacific for ITB Berlin, “Importance of Trade Shows.”
Other speakers were Jens Thraenhart, co-founder and president of Dragon Trails, “Social Media”; Bert van Walbeek, founder and managing director of The Winning Edge, “Crisis Prevention Management in Tourism”; and Peter Semone, chairman of PATA Education and Training Committee, “Developing the Tourism Professional.”
The closing component of the daylong forum was the first-ever debate on the future of travel and tourism between Craigs and Travel Impact Newswire executive editor Imtiaz Muqbil.
Dubbed as “Thrilla in Manila,” the debate tackled the topic “The Future of Travel and Tourism in the Emerging New World Order — What’s Important and What’s Not.”
The first-ever youth-oriented Tourism Forum was made possible by Budget Travel and Tours, First Place Inc., Group Tours Specialists, and Magsaysay Training Institute.
