ASEAN mulls tourism development strategy

Hanoi (VNA) - The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will draw up a regional tourism development plan for the 2011-2015 period to promote tourism cooperation between its member countries.

The decision was made at the 29 th meeting of the ASEAN National Tourism
Organisation (ASEAN NTO) in Hanoi on Jan. 6, which was chaired by Vietnamese
Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Tran Chien Thang.

The event is part of the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) scheduled to run in Vietnam
from Jan. 5-12.

During the meeting, ASEAN member countries passed the final draft of the Mutual
Recognition Agreement (MRA) on tourism, which is expected to be signed by tourism
ministers at the Jan. 9 session.

Once approved, the document is expected to facilitate the movement and use of
skilled labours between ASEAN member countries as well as promote tourism within
the bloc.

The meeting also discussed the creation of the ASEAN tourism investment corridor,
the granting of ASEAN green hotel certificates. Participants approved a number of
tourism proposals to be implemented in 2009, which concerned marketing, human
resources, tourism standard, cruise travel and information exchange on tourism
crisis.
In order to further promote ASEAN tourism to lure more foreign tourists to the
region, ASEAN member countries will cooperate with the US Agency for International
Development (USAID) to implement an ASEAN competitiveness enhancement project.

Between Jan. 6-7, ASEAN NTO will hold expanded meetings with China , Japan and
the Republic of Korea (ASEAN NTOs+3), NTOs and the Greater Mekong Sub-region
(NTOs+GMS), NTOs and Russia and NTOs and India .

The first ATF took place in Malaysia in 1981 and since then the event has been
held annually by ASEAN member countries.

ATF 2009, themed ASEAN Tourism-Striving for a New Height, is the first of its kind
hosted by Vietnam since the country joined the forum in 1998.-Enditem