The ASEAN Tourism Ministers will meet with their counterparts from China, Japan, and Korea on 25th January 2002 in Yogyakarta to forge a tourism partnership in East Asia. This first meeting of the ASEAN+ 3 Tourism Ministers is very timely because of the urgent need for increased tourism in the light of the current global economic downturn. The areas of cooperation are expected to cover tourism promotion, human resource development, use of information technology and public-private sector cooperation. Statistics from the World Tourism Organization recorded an increase of 14.7 percent in international tourist arrivals to 112 million in East Asia and The Pacific in 2000 compared with the previous year.
Joining the ASEAN Ministers are Mr.Gang Sun, Chairman of China National Tourism Administration, Mr.Jiro Hanyu, Vice Minister, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of Japan and Mr.Hyung-Kyu Yoon,Vice -Minister, Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Korea.
On 24th January 2002, the tourism ministers from the 10 ASEAN countries will begin their annual gathering, to be preceded by the meeting of the heads of ASEAN national tourism organizations on 23rd January 2002. At the 7th ASEAN Summit in Brunei Darussalam last November 2001, the possibility for the ASEAN heads of governments to sign an ASEAN tourism agreement at this year’s summit in Phnom Penh was considered. This agreement may include tourism and travel facilitation, liberalization of intra-ASEAN transport services, tourism manpower development, mobility of tourism professionals and enhancing traveler’s safety and security.
Indonesian President, H.E. Megawati Sukarnoputri will officiate the opening ceremony of ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2002 at the Palace of Sultan of Yogyakarta on the 25th January 2002. The Sultan of Yogyakarta, Hamengku Buwono X will grace the Opening Ceremony of the ASEAN Tourism Conference and present the ASEANTA Awards at the newly built Yogyakarta Exposition and Convention Centre on 26th January 2002.
The ASEAN Travex (Travel Exchange) will run from 24th to 28th January 2002 bringing together more than 300 tourism sellers from the region and nearly 350 buyers from 46 countries.
