On 19 January 2022, the 25th Meeting of ASEAN Tourism Ministers was held in Preah Sihanoukville, Cambodia. Dr. Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism of Cambodia, chaired the meeting. The tourism ministers of all ASEAN Member States (AMS), the Secretary-General of ASEAN, secretaries-general of the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), ASEAN-Japan Centre (AJC) and ASEAN-Korea Centre (AKC) and representatives of leading international tourism organisations including the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and ASEAN Tourism Association (ASEANTA), attended the meeting and shared their understanding on tourism revitalisation and sustainable development under the situation of regular prevention and control against COVID-19. Mr. Chen Dehai, Secretary-General of ACC, led a delegation to attend the meeting online and delivered remarks.
Secretary-General Chen Dehai said 2021 marked the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-China dialogue relations. The two sides are standing at a new starting point with the establishment of the ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. He stated that facing regular prevention and control against the pandemic, the following efforts should be made: increasing financial and technical inputs to the tourism industry, strengthening inter-governmental policy coordination and synergy, harmonising health and hygiene protocols among countries and regions, helping restore travel consumer confidence, and supporting the responsible reopening of tourism. The common goal is to have a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient tourism back on track. He briefed the meeting on the major tourism activities carried out by ACC in 2021 and the upcoming work programme in 2022, and extended thanks to AMS and other related parties for their long-time support to ACC.
The meeting released the main outcomes of the 38th and 39th ASEAN Summits, a few newly drawn up technical standards concerning ASEAN tourism industry, and the implementation the Joint Statement of the Meeting of the ASEAN Tourism Ministers on Strengthening Cooperation to Revitalise ASEAN Tourism.
On the same day, Secretary-General Chen Dehai also attended the 21st Meeting of ASEAN Plus Three (China, Japan and the Republic of Korea) Tourism Ministers and exchanged views online with representatives of relevant parties on regional tourism recovery and pandemic control in East Asia.
The 40th ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) was held in Preah Sihanoukville, Cambodia from 16 to 22 January 2022 under the theme of “ASEAN--A Community of Peace and Shared Future”.
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