Strengthening tourism development links in ASEAN

Tourism in ASEAN and Vietnam in particular is playing an increasingly important economic role in recent years. The regional governments have worked hard to develop the hospitality industry. Particularly, in 2010, Vietnam – as the chair of ASEAN – has outlined many initiatives and determinations to expand tourism cooperation among regional countries and approach a new stage of development.

With collaborative efforts of the national tourism authorities of ASEAN member countries, in recent years, tourism has maintained steady growth in spite of global economic turmoil. In the past crisis, the tourism industry has proved its force, spurring ASEAN development with tourist arrivals consistently at a higher growth than the global average. In 2009, ASEAN welcomed more than 65 million tourists, an increase of 0.20 % compared to 2008, while internal ASEAN tourists accounted for nearly 50 %. ASEAN member states raked in US$57 billion from tourism in 2009. Particularly, Vietnam served 3.77 million international visitors in 2009, with ASEAN arrivals making up a third.

However, according to ASEAN tourism ministers, ASEAN tourism is still developing in a complicated context. Natural disasters, epidemics, climate change, environmental degradation and the global financial crisis remain active challenges to the tourism sector’s sustainable development. For these reasons, ASEAN tourism authorities have assembled to strengthen regional linkages.

Accordingly, tourism authorities in ASEAN member countries agreed to strengthen regional cooperation and joint efforts to promote ASEAN internal tourism and attract tourists from third countries, and beautify the image of ASEAN destinations. ASEAN countries need to strengthen regional tourism links, create a forum for ASEAN countries to discuss issues of common concern, seek effective solutions to deal with obstacles and challenges, support ASEAN in becoming an attractive destination, and contribute to the construction of the dynamic and sustained ASEAN economic community.

Pham Quang Hung, Director of International Cooperation Department under the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), said in the upcoming time, regional tourism cooperation will be among the top priorities in ASEAN country development policies. This is reflected in signed state-level documents like the ASEAN Tourism Agreement, the ASEAN Tourism Integration Strategy and the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA). Moreover, regional countries have many common characteristics for favourable tourism cooperation development like convenient transportation, cultural similarities, natural and intangible heritages and mutual development supplements.

Currently, ASEAN is embracing great opportunities for tourism development. The East – West Economic Corridor which links four ASEAN countries – Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam – has been completed and put into use. The Trans-Asia railway from Singapore to Kunming, China has basically been completed. This year, the ASEAN Open Skies Agreement will also come into effect. These are important conditions to open effective tourism links in ASEAN, build the ASEAN Community by 2015, accelerate the integration process, and adopt initiatives developing ASEAN tourism strategies from 2011 to 2015.

To strengthen tourism links, ASEAN member countries agreed to increase efforts to expand cooperation, improve service quality, introduce suitable tourism products, and especially advance the enforcement of MRA signed at the ASEAN Tourism Forum to facilitate tourism labour mobility in ASEAN. At the same time, ASEAN member states should cooperate more closely to lift travel, entry and exit barriers, strengthen cooperation in airway, seaway and roadway development, and promote joint human resource training to meet the increasing demand for tourism linkages. – VCCI

Tags: Asean tourism, Vietnam Tourism