Manila/Bangkok, 18.06.2012 - The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) will present three hot issues affecting the travel and tourism industry with workshops on ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 2015, the emerging CIVETS markets, and mTourism. As part of the PTM programme, the workshops will take place on September 25-28 at the SMX Convention Center, Manila, Philippines.

Martin J Craigs, PATA CEO said: "Apart from building business during PTM2012, delegates will be empowered with insights that will help them be better prepared for upcoming marketing and technology opportunities and challenges facing the travel industry in Asia Pacific."

A highlight of the workshop programme is the full-day workshop entitled "Do You Know What You Need to Know - AEC2015? With the formation of the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015, the economies of Southeast Asia will become a single trading bloc with 600 million people and a combined GDP of around US$1.5 trillion. The AEC will offer both opportunities for those who are prepared and threats, for those who are not.

Those businesses already preparing for 2015 will be well placed to take advantage of the 120 million or so visitor arrivals expected in that year. Those less prepared will flounder in an environment of increased competition for both goods and services.

To better understand the opportunities and threats to tourism that will come with the AEC in less than three years' time, PATA is organising a one-day workshop to deliver information that will be vital in understanding the nuances of integrating 10 service economies into a single bloc.

Another workshop will be on "CIVETS and other Emerging Markets: The Potential for Asia Pacific". First there were the BRICS - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. But now many are looking to the CIVETS - Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey and South Africa - for growth potential over the next couple of decades. If the EIU is correct, then these economies will grow at an average annual rate of around 4.5% over the next 20 years, compared to less than 2% for developed economies.

While their combined GDP will only amount to 20% of the size of the G7 nations' combined GDP by 2030, the CIVETS are none the less, second-tier emerging markets with a number of advantages. According to the EIU: "They have relatively sophisticated financial systems and do not face runaway inflation, massive current-account deficits or public debt."

Mobile tourism (mTourism) is the use of mobile technologies, applications and services in the tourism sector. The world is moving towards an environment where nearly every traveller is using smartphones and tablets enabled with mobile broadband. In 2012 Google projects that 8% of mobile users will be booking travel from their smart phones. In 2014 mobile internet should take over desktop internet usage. In 2016 mobile commerce is expected to grow by 55%. Does this make a mobile web strategy more important than a PC Web strategy? How many resources have you allocated to mTourism? Are you prepared for the mTourism revolution?

- Tuesday, September 25: Do You Know What You Need to Know - AEC2015? (Full day: US$150 for registered buyers and sellers, US$250 non-registered) - Wednesday, September 26: CIVETS and other Emerging Markets -- The Potential (1.5 hrs: US$75 and US$95) - Thursday, September 27: mTourism: How Mobile Technology is Changing Tourism (1.5 hrs: US$75 and US$95)

For further information, email PTM@PATA.org or visit http://www.pata.org/events/pata-travel-mart-2012.

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is a not-for profit membership association that acts as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism within the Asia Pacific region. This year, PATA is proud to celebrate 60 dynamic years of developing responsible tourism.

In partnership with private and public sector members, PATA enhances the sustainable growth, value and quality of travel and tourism to, from and within, the region. The Association provides leadership and counsel on an individual and collective basis to over 80 government, state and city tourism bodies; nearly 50 international airlines, airports and cruise lines and many hundreds of travel industry companies across the Asia Pacific region and beyond.

Thousands of travel professionals belong to 40 active PATA chapters worldwide and participate in a wide range of PATA and industry events. PATA's Strategic Intelligence Centre (SIC) offers unrivalled aggregated data and insights. This included Asia Pacific inbound and outbound statistics, analyses and forecasts and in-depth reports on strategic analysis. For more information, please visit www.PATA.org and www.PATAchina.org