The four-day annual meeting-cum-outing for the Pata members in Malaysia, is among others to foster a closer working relationship among members and between all travel industry representatives.

Pata (Pacific Asia Travel Association) is regarded as leader of and authority on the region’s travel and tourism industry.

Sabah Tourism is a member of the Pata Malaysia Chapter and was instrumental in the hosting of the ninth Pata Adventure Travel and Ecotourism Conference and Mart in 1997 in Sabah.

"This annual gathering of the Pata members will be an opportunity for Sabah to showcase our tourism products and also to network with the various tourism NGOs around Malaysia.

"We are expecting about 230 representatives of various organisations from Peninsula Malaysia and Singapore to attend the event," according to a statement from Sabah Tourism yesterday.

Sabah Tourism will be sponsoring a welcome dinner, a cultural heritage tour and island tour for the delegates.

Founded in Hawaii in 1951 as a non-profit organisation, Pata is an "Association of Leaders for Leaders" with a membership of nearly 2,000 organisations including governments and destinations, airlines and cruise lines, hotels, tour operators, travel agencies and other tourism-related corporations and companies, educational institutions, financial and consultancy services and media.

Pata’s presence through its chapters span half the globe from North America westward across the Pacific to South Asia. Pata is represented by more than 80 chapters in 48 countries worldwide, with a combined membership of over 17,000 travel industry professionals.

Pata Malaysia Chapter was formed in 1968 and is represented by more than 60 organisations in Malaysia, which hosted the 50th annual conference in Kuala Lumpur in April this year.

Meanwhile, Malaysia Airlines have given a special fare for the delegates to attend the event.