For the second consecutive year, The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) will hold its annual conference virtually, reflecting the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Virtual PATA Travel Mart (PTM) 2021 will take place from Sept. 2 to 5 with Leshan, China, once again the featured destination for the event.

The Virtual PTM will be a business-to-business travel contracting and virtual networking event designed to mirror and enhance the features of the long-standing PTM, which for over four decade has connected qualified international buyers and sellers from Asia Pacific and beyond through one-to-one business appointments.

“PATA’s goal is to bring valuable content and virtual networking opportunities to enable our members and trade show attendees to stay current with the latest travel products and build connections with new global colleagues,” says PATA CEO Liz Ortiguera. “I invite our industry stakeholders to join us for this year’s event, as we support our members and the industry in this recovery.”

The event is being organized in conjunction with the Sichuan International Travel Expo (SITE) with the support of Official Event Partner, the Leshan Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau.

Leshan was also the featured destination of Virtual PTM 2020, held last September.

The event will offer two business days of one-on-one meetings with up to 50 matched appointments across all time zones on Sept. 2 and 3. There will also be two trade visitor days on Sept. 4 and 5. In addition, industry trends and insights will be a part of the program as well as interactive networking breaks with special sessions from various national tourism organisations (NTOs).

Among the conference features for attendees:

• Interactive Exhibition Experience: Navigate an interactive map to browse sellers, submit appointment requests, view product pitches, and exchange contact information.

• Video Meets: Set up time slots and request meetings supported by video calls, text, and voice chat.

• Live Forums: Gain insights on travel recovery with live presentations and panels through the PTM Forums.

• Buyer Incentives: Buyers have the opportunity to earn prizes by earning points and completing event missions.

• Games & Giveaways: Virtual social games provide the chance to win travel giveaways and prizes from sponsors and partners.