VietNamNet Bridge – The ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) opened on Monday in Hanoi, with the presence of Tourism Ministers from the ten member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The first session discussed how to advertise the image of ASEAN to the world and the mutual-recognition agreement.
The ten countries attending the ATF include: Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
The first session was chaired by the Vietnamese Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Tran Chien Thang. Deputies discussed measures to advertise ASEAN to the world, in the context that international tourists to the region are on the downturn.
ASEAN countries will cooperate with the US International Development Agency to implement a project to enhance ASEAN’s competitiveness. A memorandum of understanding will be signed at the tourism workshop on January 10.
The session approved the Mutual-recognition in Tourism Agreement, which will be signed by ASEAN Tourism Ministers on January 9. This agreement will facilitate the traveling of ASEAN citizens and developing the tourism human resources in the region.
Deputies also discussed the construction of a tourism investment corridor, a list of homestays, and evaluated the operation of the regional tourism sector in 2008.
They suggested a project to promote marketing, human resources, tourism standards, information and cruse tourism in 2009.
(Source: VNE)
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