The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is pleased to announce the successful conclusion of its finance and digital skills workshops for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the tourism industry. These workshops were conducted in Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, and the Philippines and were part of PATA's partnership with Visa, aimed at enhancing the financial management capabilities and digital literacy of tourism businesses in Southeast Asia.
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VisaThe Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is pleased to announce the successful conclusion of its finance and digital skills workshops for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the tourism industry. These workshops were conducted in Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, and the Philippines and were part of PATA’s partnership with Visa, aimed at enhancing the financial management capabilities and digital literacy of tourism businesses in Southeast Asia.
The global COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need for greater resilience, innovation, and adaptability in the tourism industry. To achieve this, the sector must be robust enough to withstand crises while remaining flexible enough to adapt to changing circumstances. For SMEs in particular, this entails learning how to identify and manage risks, efficiently manage finances, implement sustainable practices to reduce costs and remain competitive, and leverage digital tools and platforms to enhance customer outreach and operational management.
To address these needs, PATA developed an online learning course tailored specifically to tourism SMEs, which make up around 80% of all tourism businesses. SMEs often face vulnerabilities, especially during crises, due to limited capacity, time, and resources. The Finance and Digital Skills course was designed to help SMEs build resilience and enhance their capabilities to navigate the post-COVID-19 tourism landscape.
This course was created with the support and expertise of Visa and the Practical Business Skills initiative, and it is available for free in six languages on PATA’s Sustainability Resource Centre website.
To further disseminate this knowledge, PATA and Visa organized in-person workshops in Hanoi, Jakarta, Siem Reap, and the Laguna Province, with the crucial support of respective tourism authorities. These workshops took place from July to September 2023.
Each workshop spanned two days, with the first day focusing on Finance Skills and the second on Digital Skills. The Finance Skills segment covered topics like financial management, risk management, and the financial benefits of sustainability. The Digital Skills workshop encompassed digitalization of business, digital marketing, online payments, and cybersecurity.
The final set of workshops took place in the Philippines in Santa Cruz, Laguna Province, from September 11 to 12. This workshop saw the largest number of attendees, with 43 owners and managers of local tourism SMEs, primarily from travel agencies and accommodation providers. In total, the Finance and Digital Skills workshops attracted 120 participants across the four destinations.
Peter Semone, PATA Chair, emphasized the organization’s commitment to building resilience and sustainability in the tourism sector, highlighting the importance of the Tourism Destination Resilience Programme launched in 2021. The goal is to ensure that the tourism sector is better equipped to face challenges and hardships, as witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Patsian Low, Vice President of Inclusive Impact & Sustainability for Asia Pacific at Visa, expressed Visa’s dedication to enhancing the digital and financial skills of small and micro-businesses worldwide. The partnership with PATA has allowed Visa to support numerous small tourism businesses in Southeast Asia, promoting digitalization and financial empowerment.
For inquiries regarding PATA’s sustainability and social responsibility initiatives, please contact ssr@PATA.org.
