The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) announced that Virtual PATA Travel Mart (PTM) 2020 will take place from 23 – 27 September.

Virtual PTM is a business-to-business travel contracting and virtual networking event that both mirrors and enhances the features of the long-standing PTM, which boasts over four decades of experience in connecting qualified international buyers and sellers from all of Asia and the Pacific region though pre-matched business appointments. Furthermore, Virtual PTM offers cost-effective seller booth fees at significantly below market rates.

“As some destinations have slowly restarted tourism through either domestic or regional travel, eventually international markets will follow. Virtual PTM allows business to begin exploring new opportunities and markets, particularly as travel behaviour and patterns will be dramatically different post COVID-19,” said PATA CEO Dr. Mario Hardy. “Asia Pacific will be the leading force of tourism’s global recovery from COVID-19, as both an inbound destination as well as a robust source market. In addition, organisations need to start negotiating for recovery in 2021 and Virtual PTM is the perfect place to begin.”

The event being organised is in conjunction with the Sichuan International Travel Expo with the support of the Leshan Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau and is powered by official virtual partner Dragon Trail Interactive.

Zhang Tong, mayor of Leshan municipal people’s government said: “Sichuan, China, home to the giant panda, offers you an experience of a leisurely life. Leshan, a key world tourist destination, is always filled with a strong aroma of food and tea, the fragrance of books and the beautiful sea of flowers and noted for its mountains, Buddhas and celebrities. I sincerely hope you will get to know Leshan through various ways and come visit it soon. Your visit will certainly bring you a pleasant surprise and a unique experience.”

The event will offer two full business days with a possibility of up to 50 appointments across all time zones from 24-25 September. There will also be two trade visitor days on 26-27 September. Furthermore, there will be further networking opportunities at the interactive networking breaks, as well as opportunities to gain deeper insights into the industry at the presentation hall.