PATA and PADI Asia Pacific announce marketing partnership

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and the Asia Pacific office of the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) have formed a new  marketing alliance. The partnership is expected to help boost dive tourism to the Pacific Asia region and increase the profile of the dive travel niche at PATA Travel Mart, October 1 - 3, 2003 in Singapore.

While most PATA-member travel agents sell packages within the region, many may be unaware of the profit potential of niche travel markets. The upcoming 26th PATA Travel Mart will focus on some of those markets. PADI will coordinate the diving pavilion.

PADI’s participation at PATA Travel Mart will include exhibits from dive operators in the region, attendance by sellers of dive travel from outside the region, and presentations on selling dive travel by PADI Travel Network, a leading dive travel wholesaler.

"We're excited about this relationship. It introduces diving as a viable tourism product in our region -- from the Maldives to the South Pacific -- offering unsurpassed opportunities for dive enthusiasts and the leisure  traveller," said PATA Managing Director-Events, Ms. Sheila Leong.

PADI Asia Pacific Marketing Manager, Mr. Shahram Saber, added: "This new partnership is designed to enhance the growth, value and quality of the  Pacific Asia dive travel experience for the benefit of both PADI and PATA members. It is a mutually beneficial relationship in every sense, for the immediate future as well as for the long-term strength of both organisations' members.”

PADI members will participate as both buyers and sellers of travel products  “The programme is designed to help create new markets and promote dive  travel within emerging Asia Pacific destinations,” said PADI Travel Network President, Ms. Christine Grange.

“We’re looking forward to introducing dive travel to PATA members who might be unfamiliar with this growing specialty niche,” Mr. Saber said. “We aim to emphasise the value of dive travel to Asia Pacific tourism as a whole."