Tag Archives: ASEAN Tourism Forum

Themed on ‘ASEAN-Sustainable Connectivity, Boundless Prosperity’, the ongoing 37th ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF 2018) at the Chiang Mai Exhibition and Convention Centre will conclude on January 26. Hailed as the largest travel trade event of the ASEAN region, ATF is rotated annually among the 10 ASEAN countries. Yuthasak Supasorn, Governor, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said, “This year, we are proud to mark the first ATF after commemorating the 50th anniversary of ASEAN in 2017. We are delighted to have participated strongly in the ‘Visit ASEAN@50’ campaign with a series of carefully selected Thai products, tour packages and offers to bring memorable travel experiences.” ATF is the only annual opportunity for both public and private sectors of the ASEAN travel and tourism industry to get together and discuss issues and trends of the ASEAN tourism industry. Thailand is hosting the event for the sixth time, but has relocated it for the first time to Chiang Mai as part of the policy to promote secondary destinations, create more jobs in the rural areas, ensure better distribution of tourism earnings and highlight Thailand’s linkages with the Greater Mekong sub-region countries.    

The 36th ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) has commenced in Singapore from January 16-20, 2017. Themed “Shaping Our Tourism Journey Together,” ATF 2017 will support the continuous, collective efforts by ASEAN members to address challenges and opportunities as ASEAN jointly develops and grows the tourism industry in the region. Highlights of the event include official launch of VisitASEAN@50 Campaign at the Opening Gala on January 18. The Visit ASEAN@50: Golden Celebration campaign will be officially launched by the Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong; ASEAN Secretary General, Le Luong Minh and ASEAN Tourism Ministers. 50 special packages have been selected by ASEAN NTOs for the campaign, which aims to attract 121 million international visitor arrivals to the region by end of 2017, up from 109 million in 2015. For the first time, ASEAN will honour outstanding tourism communities measured against ASEAN’s CBT standards. All 10 ASEAN member states will share updates on their latest destination news, goals, partnerships and service innovations. Key highlights include information on Singapore’s new marketing strategy; Visit Laos Year 2018; Viet Nam’s new visa policies, including the visa exemption policy for European tourists; Myanmar’s update on tourism performance, skills development initiatives, and its new destination marketing promotions for 2017.

ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) will be held from January 16-20 next year. “Singapore is honoured to host the next ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) in 2017 with the theme – ‘Shaping our Tourism Journey Together’. This theme speaks to the importance of continual, collective efforts by ASEAN members to address challenges and opportunities as we jointly develop and grow the tourism industry in the region,” says Lionel Yeo, Chief Executive, Singapore Tourism Board. To commemorate its 50th anniversary, ASEAN will also launch a year-long travel campaign to promote the region’s diverse offerings. Within the ASEAN Economic Community, Tourism is one of the priority sectors for integration by 2015, and to achieve this, ASEAN had adopted the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan 2011-2015. ASEAN will further build on this momentum and develop the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan (ATSP) 2016-2025. “This will strategically transform our region into a competitive, sustainable, and more socio-economically inclusive and integrated tourism destination,” Yeo remarks. TRAVEX, a key component of ATF where sellers from ASEAN get to meet buyers from all over the world, will be held in Singapore from January 18-20, 2017.

Giving a fillip to ASEAN Tourism Forum, President of the Philippines H.E. Benigno Simeon Aquino III, in his inaugural speech, said that ASEAN integration benefits the region and all must capitalise on this. He urged the ASEAN countries to concentrate on bio-sustainability and maintain this delicate balance. He insisted that working together is the key as no single country can achieve this alone. The President called on all brothers and sisters of ASEAN to progress as one region, showcase the uniqueness of the region, and let all tourists visit each country. Welcoming delegates to his country, Secretary (Minister) of the Philippines, Department of Tourism, Hon. Ramon R. Jimenez, Jr. talked about partnership in tourism development. He mentioned that this event in the Philippines is a milestone in flowering of the ASEAN Tourism Forum. The lively and colourful short inauguration ended with a group photo of all the Ministers of Tourism from ASEAN and then with the heads of all tourism organisations.