The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Marks World Environment Day

To recognise the important day, we are encouraging our PATA Chapters worldwide and PATA members to practise 'The PATA Environmental Pledge' and make every day a PATA World Environment Day," said Mr. John Semone, Director of the PATA office of Environment & Culture.

PATA has been greatly aware of environmental concerns and is responsible for practising environmental ethics and planning for a sustainable and responsible future of the tourism industry. Through the "PATA Code for Environmentally Responsible Tourism" introduced in 1992, PATA has continued to take a leadership position on behalf of its members on matters of environment, culture and heritage. An Advisory Committee for Sustainable and Responsible Tourism has been established to work with the PATA Office of Environment & Culture. The committee will recommend projects and programmes relevant to the PATA region.

PATA Chapters worldwide are able to give support to the PATA World Environmental Day within their local community as well as the tourism industry in general. A number of environmental projects can be initiated, for instance: urban beautification campaigns to clean up the environment in the community, recycling campaigns to minimise the use of disposable wastes, meetings that use only recycled products for collateral materials, and ecotourism educational programmes.

For assistance in scheduling cooperative "PATA Chapter Environment Day" programmes, please contact Mr. John Semone. Tel: (377) 92 05 61 32. Fax: (377) 92 05 61 33. E-mail: [email protected]

• 1. Foster environmentally responsible practises including waste management, recycling, and energy use.
• 2. Encourage an understanding by all those involved in tourism of each community's customs, cultural values, beliefs and traditions and how they relate to the environment.
• 3. Enhance the appreciation and understanding by tourists of the environment through the provision of accurate information and appropriate interpretation.
• 4. Establish detailed environmental policies and/or guidelines for the various sectors of the tourism industry.
• 5. Adopt the necessary practises to conserve the environment, including the use of renewable resources in a sustainable and responsible manner and the conservation of non-renewable resources.
• 6. Contribute to the conservation of any habitat of flora and fauna and of any site whether natural or cultural, which may be affected by tourism.
• 7. Encourage relevant authorities to identify areas worthy of conservation and to determine the level of development, if any, which would ensure those areas are conserved.
• 8. Ensure that community attitudes, cultural values and concerns, including local customs and beliefs, are taken into account in the planning of all tourism-related projects.
• 9. Comply with all international conventions and national, state and local laws in relation to the environment.
• 10. Provide the opportunity for the wider community to take part in discussions and consultations on tourism planning issues insofar as they affect the tourism industry and the community.
• 11. Acknowledge responsibility for the environmental impacts of all tourism-related projects and activities and undertake all necessary responsible, remedial and corrective actions.
• 12. Support the inclusion of professional conservation principles in tourism education, training and planning within your own community.