Industry urged to attend Asia Recovery Action meeting
Industry leaders are being asked to attend an urgent Asia crisis recovery action meeting this month.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and charity the Travel Foundation are hosting the Asia Recovery Action meeting on January 17 to discuss a united industry approach to creating a long-term recovery campaign for tourism to Asia.
Government ministers, representatives from the affected nations and other members of the travel industry are due to attend to discuss how the industry can help.
Travel Foundation director Sue Hurdle said: “We’ve all be shaken and moved by the catastrophic events in Asia and people and organisations within the travel industry have already responded with generous donations.
“But, huge swathes of the world we visit will also require our long-term support to rebuild tourism and help bring much needed income to their shores.
“This meeting will give people the opportunity to listen to the affected countries and debate how a united travel industry could make a difference. We urgently need to hear from people within the travel industry to help make long term tourism recovery a reality.”
Any organisation interested in attending the Asia Crisis Recovery Action meeting should email [email protected] or phone 0117 927 3049.
The meeting at the FCO offices in London from 16.00-18.00 was arranged as more travel companies pledged support to the relief efforts in the Indian Ocean following the tsunami disaster.
The UK chapter of the Pacific Asia Travel Association launched an appeal to back PATA’s Tsunami Recovery Fund to help the eight member destinations hit by the tsunami.
PATA UK chapter chairman Tim Robinson called on the UK trade to support aid efforts.
He said he hoped the whole of the UK travel industry including various specialist travel trade groups and associations “will join with PATA in its urgent endeavours in raising as much money as possible to aid in the human and physical recovery of South Asia, and help rebuild the vital financial and economic benefits that tourism brings to the people of the region”.
Hilton Group pledged an initial £100,000 plus a further £100,000 from its Ladbrokes betting and gaming division towards aid relief in Asia. The hotel company’s five properties in locations affected by the disaster escaped with little or no damage.
Report by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season