The meeting focused on reports of ASEAN Tourism Competitiveness Committee (ATCC), ASEAN Sustainable and Inclusive Tourism Development Committee (ASITDC), ASEAN Tourism Professional Monitoring Committee (ATPMC) and ASEAN Tourism Resourcing, Monitoring and Evaluation Committee (ATRMEC).
From the beginning of 2023, ASEAN tourism industry continued to implement the ASEAN Tourism Marketing Strategy 2021-2025, the ASEAN Tourism Strategy 2016-2025 and the Post-Covid-19 Recovery Plan.
Many events were organized including offline seminars after opening tourism. That is the ASEAN Ecotourism Business Conference in Thailand in March 2023; Regional Workshop: Launching ASEAN Municipal Solid Waste Management Enhancement (AMUSE) in Indonesia in April 2023; ASEAN Tourism Crisis Communication Forum and 3rd ASEAN Tourism Crisis Communication Group Meeting in Malaysia in June 2023; ASEAN Conference on Promoting Investment Experience Sharing in Indonesia in July 2023; Workshop on Revising ASEAN MICE Base Standards in Thailand in July 2023.
Speaking at the meeting, VNAT’s Vice Chairman Mr. Ha Van Sieu informed that, according to statistics, the total international tourism arrivals to ASEAN region in 2022 just recovered by about 30 percent, compared to that of 2019. However, as all member countries have reopened and lifted the COVID-19-related requirement, ASEAN tourism sector gradually rebound and become more vibrant since 2023.
Since last year, various projects and events have been organised successfully under all four tourism committees. Vietnam hosted the Seminar on “Initiatives and directions for the participation of local communities and private sector in tourism development” last November. Vietnam will also host a Regional Seminar on Festival Tourism in the fourth quarter and circulate information to other members in due course.
Based on the activities of the tourism committees, VNAT’s Vice Chairman gave some suggestions for cooperation. To leverage the tourism promotional activities intra-ASEAN, member states can better support ASEAN tourism brand and disseminate its new tagline and hashtag on their respective media platforms and at major tourism fairs.
Exploring the potential of thematic products and tourism linkage among ASEAN by organising events or famtrips for private sector and media, maybe thematically on cruise tourism, caravan tours, or river tourism.
Implementing the training programmes and developing networks for both public and private sectors, preferably with the support of dialogue and external partners. Member states should also carefully discuss the establishment of the Regional Secretariat to Implement MRA-TP.
Taking this opportunity, VNAT’s Vice Chairman announced that since 1st July, Vietnam National Administration of Tourism officially changed its name to “Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism”.
At the meeting, delegates discussed on development of ASEAN Tourism Strategy Plan (ATSP) post-2025; cooperation with ASEAN dialogue partners; sub-regional cooperation in tourism sector; ASEAN tourism forum 2024 in Laos.
The ASEAN Secretariat briefed the progress of the preparation for the Interface Meeting between ASEAN Tourism Ministers and ASEAN Transport Ministers, the preparation of the draft MOU between ASEAN and UNWTO. Laos proposed deliverables for its ASEAN Chairmanship in 2024.
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