Bangkok--Jan 19--eTurboNews
Leading lifestyle business entrepreneur Mr Ho Kwon Ping will deliver the opening keynote speech entitled, "Changing Lifestyles -- New Opportunities" at the PATA Annual Conference (PAC06) in Pattaya, Thailand, on April 24. Closing PAC06 on April 26 will be Dr Mechai Viravaidya, a renowned politician and activist who popularised condom use in Thailand.
Banyan Tree Group Executive Chairman Mr Ho said: "The first decade of this new century will see more lifestyle changes than in the past 50 years, and opportunities for the travel industry are only limited by our imagination and creativity."
PATA Regional Director-North America Mr Jim Ferguson said: "The objective of the Conference is to explore the implications and opportunities arising from a heady mix of rapid economic growth, technological change, aviation liberalisation and rising lifestyle expectations across Asia Pacific. Both speakers are great authorities on social change."
Mr Ho leads a company that owns and operates hotels, resorts, spas, residential homes, retail galleries and other lifestyle activities in Asia Pacific. He said: "The Conference theme captures so many of the big trends that are going to affect the global travel and tourism industry -- from the post-retirement lifestyles of the baby boomers and the rise of an Asian middle class, to the impact of low-cost carriers and the Internet."
Dr Mechai Viravaidya, Founder and Chairman of Bangkok-based Population and Community Development Association, said: "One great opportunity for the travel and tourism industry is to view business not just as a means of generating profit, but as a means to promote social progress."
He said the travel industry was in a unique position to eradicate poverty. "If every hotel were to foster one village by purchasing from them, or providing skills-based training, then it would be the conduit for the village to develop a more sustainable livelihood, gain business skills and move out of poverty," said Dr Mechai.
Mr Ho, named one of Business Week's "25 Stars of Asia" in 2005, as well as one of the "100 Global Leaders for Tomorrow" by the World Economic Forum, is also Chairman of the family-owned Wah Chang Group.
In addition to his commitments with Banyan Tree and Wah Chang, Mr Ho is Chairman of the Singapore Management University; Chairman of Singapore television and radio company MediaCorp; Board member of Singapore Airlines; and Board member of Standard Chartered Bank.
Dr Mechai, who has been affectionately known as "Mr Condom" since the 1970s, was elected to the Thai Senate in 1987, 1997 and 2000. He was chief architect for a national HIV/AIDS prevention policy and programme, which reduced the rate of new infections in Thailand by 90%, and for which he was appointed Ambassador for UNAIDS in 1999.
He has also been pivotal in Thailand's successful family planning programme, which saw the rate of annual population growth decline from more than 3% in 1974 to 0.8% in 2002. He has received numerous awards, including the 1997 United Nations Population Award and the 1981 United Nations Gold Peace Medal.
Dr Mechai, through the Population and Community Development Association, continues his active advocacy of family planning, poverty reduction, rural development, environmental restoration and HIV/AIDS prevention throughout Thailand.
PAC06 will take place in Pattaya, Thailand, April 23-27, 2006.
More information about the Conference programme can be found at www.PATA.org/conference .
Editor's note: High-resolution pictures of Mr Ho and Dr Mechai can be downloaded at:- http://www.pata.org/patasite/fileadmin/images/hires/HO_Kwan_Ping1.JPG
http://www.pata.org/patasite/fileadmin/images/hires/VIRAVAIDYA_Mechai1.jpg
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E-mail: [email protected]
Online pressroom: www.PATA.org/news
ABOUT PATA
Founded in 1951, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is the recognised authority on Asia Pacific travel and tourism. PATA provides leadership and advocacy to the collective efforts of nearly 100 government, state and city tourism bodies, more than 55 airlines and cruise lines, and hundreds of travel industry companies. In addition, thousands of travel professionals belong to dozens of PATA chapters worldwide.
PATA's mission is to enhance the growth, value and quality of Asia Pacific travel and tourism for the benefit of its membership. PATA is a not-for-profit organisation.
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