PATA awards bid to New Zealand Māori Tourism to host Pacific Asia Indigenous Tourism Conference 2014

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has accepted the New Zealand Māori Tourism's exceptional bid to host the second Pacific Asia Indigenous Tourism Conference (PAITC) and PATA Board Meetings in Rotorua, New Zealand from April 4-9, 2014.

The objective of the PAITC is to promote awareness, enhance and protect the increasingly important tourism role of Asia Pacific's Indigenous peoples such as hill tribes, forest dwellers, sea faring groups and Aboriginal people.

"PATA is pleased to partner with New Zealand Māori Tourism to host this significant Indigenous event, driven by Indigenous peoples, for the sustainable development of Indigenous tourism," said Martin Craigs, PATA Chief Executive Officer. "We expect to draw participation from Indigenous leaders, government agencies, associations, operators, NGOs, universities, research bodies and media from around the globe, to discuss and share issues, challenges and solutions on how to best preserve Indigenous heritage and culture as part of the complete visitor economy."

The PAITC is an opportunity to showcase the success of Māori tourism driving Māori economic growth, while holding a dialogue and sharing best practices from Indigenous groups around the world.

"We pride ourselves on being able offer a truly unique experience to visitors through our people, our stories and our landscapes, we look forward to welcoming delegates to the land of engaging faces and intriguing places, Aotearoa New Zealand," said Pania Tyson-Nathan CEO of New Zealand Māori Tourism.

In addition to the PATA Executive Board and Board Meetings, the conference programme will incorporate activities that ensure the critical role of Indigenous tourism and the need to protect and enhance the authentic visitor experience are better understood and communicated to the wider tourism community.

The Conference agenda will be based on the principles adopted in the Larrakia Declaration on the Development of Indigenous Tourism, which was established during the first Pacific Asia Indigenous Conference, held in Darwin, Australia in March 2012. The Declaration aims to uphold and respect traditional laws, knowledge, land, and heritage in all tourism decisions, while ensuring that Indigenous peoples play a significant role in the decision-making of public policy and programs in the development of Indigenous tourism.