PATA and WTCF Sign MOU to Promote Win-Win Cooperation in BRI Cultural Tourism Industry

INDUSTRY.co.id - BANGKOK, November 15, 2023 -- The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is pleased to announce a new organisational partnership with the World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF), a global international tourism organisation with tourism cities as its focus.

The agreement aims to establish a strategic partnership for constructive cooperation in areas of mutual interest based on the principles of organisational development and mutual benefit.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by PATA Chair Peter Semone and WTCF Secretary-General Yang Shuo on October 18, 2023, during the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (hereinafter referred to as the "Forum") at the event’s Thematic Forum on Sub-national Cooperation in Beijing, China.

“As global travel continues to accelerate and recover from the pandemic, PATA has renewed its focus on the People’s Republic of China and its domestic, inbound and outbound tourism portfolios. Our partnership with the World Tourism Cities Federation comes at the right time. WTCF has a superlative network of cities across the globe and is a leading voice for tourism in China, and PATA is finding ways to support the next wave of China’s tourism growth. We look forward to working with WTCF in the coming years for mutual success.” said Mr Semone. 

The MOU was included in the List of Practical Cooperation Deliverables of the Forum, a list incorporating a series of practical cooperation projects and bilateral cooperation agreements agreed upon by national governments, financial institutions, local governments, and enterprises. It emphasizes the important roles of the international tourism organisations in promoting the development of the tourism industry.

On signing of the MOU, Mr. Yang stated that “the agreement fully leverages the role of WTCF as a platform. As the initiating and headquarters’ city, Beijing actively promotes the construction of a win-win tourism and cultural industry under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It demonstrates its exemplary and leading role as a BRI hub city, narrates the story of Beijing's high-level openness to the world, and has ushered into a new stage of high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road.”

Mr. Yang also pointed out that “in the future, WTCF will work closely with PATA, fully leverage their respective advantages, implement the practical content of the MOU, and jointly promote the prosperous development of the tourism and cultural industries of the Belt and Road, to ensure that the practical results will benefit more global tourism cities.”

As a global international tourism organization with tourism cities as its primary focus, WTCF adheres to the core concept of "Better City Life through Tourism". It is dedicated to promoting exchanges and cooperation between cities and organisations and plays a significant role in driving the innovative development of the global tourism industry.