Days after the cancelation of ITB – Berlin, today Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) announced that the PATA Annual Summit 2020 in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates from March 31-April 3 will no longer take place.
The announcement said, “Due to the evolving dynamics of the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and after much discussion and deliberation with the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAK TDA) and the PATA Executive Board, the PATA Annual Summit 2020 in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates from March 31-April 3 will no longer take place.”
Dr. Mario Hardy, CEO of PATA said, “The safety and well-being of our members, industry colleagues and local communities is fundamental in our mission in acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region. With this in mind, we had come to this tremendously difficult decision.
We are extremely disappointed in making this announcement; however, we have been closely monitoring this continually developing situation and believe that it was best that we made this decision in a clear and timely manner.
All of us at PATA were excited to welcome all members and delegates to Ras Al Khaimah, and our discussions and meetings with the host ensured us that this would have been a successful event would it not have been for the current situation. With this in mind, we are pleased to announce that RAK TDA has agreed to host the PATA Annual Summit 2021 and dates for next year’s event will be announced in due time.
For those delegates that have paid the registration fee or purchased tickets for the PATA Foundation Charity Dinner, you have the option of transferring the registration fee and/or the Charity Dinner ticket fee to the PATA Annual Summit 2021 or receive a full refund.
For our members inquiring about the PATA Executive Board, Board, and Category and Advisory Committees, as well as the Annual General Meeting, further details will be communicated in the coming weeks.
At PATA, we continue to encourage all industry stakeholders to remain calm but stay vigilant and take proper precautions as necessary. Most importantly, we ask that you get your information from reputable sources such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and your local authorities. During times such as these, it is vital to gather all proper facts and information before measuring an appropriate and responsible response.
We will continue to provide any updates as necessary and, as always, we are here to offer all of our members and industry colleagues our support and assistance as needed during this difficult time. “
