PATA NATURE EVENT KICKS OFF IN THE SRI LANKAN HILLS

Nearly 200 people have gathered for the 13th PATA Adventure Travel & Ecotourism Conference & Mart in the central hill country of Sri Lanka.

The event is taking place in the award-winning Kandalama Hotel, which is located at the foot of forested rock outcrop and faces a 1,500 year-old man-made lake. The area is a haven for bird life and is close to five UNESCO World Heritage sites.

The delegate roster includes 38 buyers from 36 companies and 81 sellers from 36 companies, as well as conference attendees, Host Committee members, media and delegate spouses. They will hear conference speakers from around the world addressing the theme of "Bio-Diversity: Challenges for this Century." The highlights include a Sri Lankan perspective on bio-sphere protection and the success of its Sinharaja Rain Forest project. There will also be insights into hotel bio-management, Green Globe certification and case studies about the Tumen region, the Pacific Islands, alternative adventure travel products, agricultural tours, spas and health resorts.

"Ecotourism and adventure travel mean different things to different people," said PATA Chief Executive Officer Mr. Joseph A. McInerney. "But we're all united on the point that we have to preserve the biosphere if we're going to enjoy it. That challenge is at the centre of this conference."

Following the conference discussions, mart delegates have scheduled one-and-a-half days of buyer-seller appointments. Buyers will be able to shop for a diverse range of eco and adventure products ranging from snorkelling and hiking in Fiji to trekking in Kazakhstan.

Mr. McInerney said that this would be the last year for the ecotourism event in this format. "Next year the mart component will be incorporated into the PATA Travel Mart in Singapore. There will also be a separate and dedicated ecotourism conference, the first of which will be in Indonesia next year."