Warning, IMHO PATA are frauds, best avoided

I say the Pacific Asia Travel Association AKA "PATA" allude, for unfair commercial advantage, to be a higher level travel association, one that is there for everyone (the travel industry, the people of the region and travelers); they are not. Their corporation formation shows them to be a travel trade marketing membership association; a company that is there to help the travel industry sell, sell, sell. PATA claim to be "not for profit", which means nothing as it does not stop them from making a profit of course. In fact, PATA have made some very healthy profits in the past. They actually were registered as a US corporation in Hawaii but since have moved to Oakland, California. But their material says they are based in Bangkok! Ah, that is where their staff are located but the puppet masters are in California.

Why is this important? Because if you are a traveler / tourist, travel companies that are PATA members are to be avoided!

Because when most people look at a travel agent's or tour company's credentials and see "PATA Member" they believe this means the travel company is some higher level organizations and that some how their PATA membership gives them, the customer, some form of quality assurance and even protection, like when you see a business has IATA membership. This believe is false, in fact the PATA membership sign actually says "This travel company receives profit orientated marketing support from us". The PATA emblem means you are paying more for the service you get from that travel company because a) they have to pay PATA for their membership and b) PATA provide them with marketing help to increase their profits, not provide the customer with the best deal. There is absolutely no real quality control involved in becoming a PATA member, just the need to pay.

I believe PATA are frauds, that they are bad for the travel industry as a whole, and that they only survive because there is no real higher level travel association for the region, so they are allowed to get away with it. I say the selfish travel industry goes along with this illusion as it serves their purpose too. I say, if you book with a travel company that is a PATA member, you are an idiot.