Between 1984 and 1993, international tourist arrivals to ASEAN increased by an average of 10.6% p.a., double the 5.1% annual growth for world tourist arrivals. The five major source markets of tourist arrivals to ASEAN are intra-ASEAN, Europe, Japan, Australia, and USA. In 1995, tourist arrivals to ASEAN stood at 29.6 million, with tourism revenues posted at US$ 27.6 billion. Other details of ASEAN's tourism performance are indicated in Table 11.

The ASEAN Tourism Ministers and the ASEAN NTOs continue to discuss the establishment of a special lane, the ASEAN Lane, for ASEAN nationals at immigration counters; increasing direct air links between secondary cities and tourism areas in ASEAN; developing a system to facilitate yacht and leisure boats tourism; promoting ASEAN as a venue for major conventions as well as sports events; promoting the Mekong Basin as a tourist destination; training for trainers and resource managers on tourism skills and conservation; and enhancing cooperation under the ASEAN sub-regional groups such as IMT-GT, BIMP-EAGA and IMS-GT. The Tourism Ministers also supported the development of an open-sky policy in ASEAN.

On the ASEAN Lane, Thailand has established a special lane at immigration check points at the Bangkok International Airport, while Malaysia has agreed to provide a similar service when the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) becomes operational in 1998.

The Ministers agreed to elevate their informal meetings to a formal one, in order to pave the way for developing concrete and coordinated strategies for regional tourism development. In this regard, the Ministers requested the ASEAN Secretariat to draft the appropriate Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The ASEAN Secretariat, in accordance with the request made at the 4th and 5th ASEAN NTOs Meetings, shall henceforth coordinate and service the meetings of ASEAN NTOs and ASEAN Tourism Ministers, as well as assume responsibility for the technical coordination and monitoring of prospective projects with ASEAN Dialogue Partners. The ASEAN NTOs also agreed to be the focal point for tourism cooperation under the ASEAN-India Dialogue.

The formation of the ASEAN Crisis Team for Tourism (ACTT) has been initiated to properly manage the increasing number of tourists to the region. The ACTT would provide quick response and the sharing of resources and information among ASEAN NTOs to cope with issues such as epidemic, political crisis, natural disasters and crimes which could affect tourism arrivals to ASEAN. The inaugural meeting of the ACTT was held in July 1997 in Singapore, to precede the 6th Meeting of ASEAN NTOs.