The Pacific Asia Travel Association together with the PATA Indonesia Chapter, is organising an international tourism forum with the theme DESTINATION MARKETING PR & REGIONAL NETWORKING which take place July 28-29, 2005, at the Jakarta Hilton International in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The main objective of this forum, which has as its sub-theme "Creating Ties That Bind", is to enhance the development and productivity of the tourism industry in Indonesia and to build better post-tsunami conditions for tourism. Additional objectives of this forum include:

• To encourage ASEAN-member countries to be more proactive in anticipating various tourism issues by professionally by taking advantage of their network partners
• To build bridges of understanding between different cultures, lifestyles and traditions, which is in line with the goals of ASEAN goal
• To promote peace and goodwill among the regions within Indonesia and other nations.

BACKGROUND
There is a growing recognition that the marketing of services is a separate and distinct branch of marketing. This is based on the belief that unique marketing approaches are required in the services industry, of which hospitality and travel are just one element. Services share common features that make them quite different from manufactured and packaged goods. Services are intangible, highly perishable, inseparable from providers and difficult to cost. They have different production processes and distribution channels.

The hospitality and travel industry is, above all, a people industry. Those organisations that have climbed to the top are known for their high concern for both customer and employee satisfaction. They create relationships that last. This is what the tourism industry has to do to succeed.

On the other hand, many tourism destinations in Indonesia need to be well-promoted and marketed to their target audiences or markets, after having been battered by so many crises in recent years.

With tough competition among the tourism destinations of Asia, it is essential that tourism players in the public and private sectors learn and gain knowledge of the most effective strategies to promote and market their destinations, as well as anticipate the many external and internal issues facing the industry, such as natural disasters and health and security issues.

With this in mind, the Destination Marketing Public Relations & Regional Networking Forum has been designed to accommodate and to bring out the best experience and knowledge of various experts in the tourism industry in Indonesia and overseas.

The speakers of this forum among others are : Mr Peter A Semone (PATA Vice President-Development), Mr Udin Saifuddin (Deputy Minister for Marketing, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Indonesia), Mr Putu Antara (Chairman, Bali Tourism Board), Ms Wiendu Nuryanti (Executive Director, Yogya Tourism Board), Mr Odeck AAG Ariawan (Director PR Committee, Ubud Community, Bali), Dr Scott Younger (Partner, Glendale Partners), Mr Chad McLisky (Senior Consultant, Indo Pacific PR), Mr Alistair Speirs (Chairman, PATA Indonesia Chapter), Mr Harianto Badjuri (Head, Jakarta Tourism Office), and Ms Aurora Tambunan.