VNAT’s Vice Chairman Ha Van Sieu attending the 45th ASEAN Plus Three National Tourism Organisations (NTOs) Meeting (Photo: TITC)

Speaking at the Meeting, Dr. Yasmeen Yasim - Deputy Secretary-General (Tourism), Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia, looks forward to collaborating closely with all ASEAN Plus Three Nations to further the collective advancement of the ASEAN tourism industry. She appreciated the active participation and contributions for the successful collaboration of National Tourism Organisation representatives from China, Japan, and Korea. The insights and experiences they bring to the table enrich the discussions and develop more comprehensive and effective strategies for the tourism sector.

Dr. Yasmeen Yasim said, the agenda covers a range of critical topics, including strategies for tourism recovery, enhancing regional connectivity, promoting safe and responsible travel, and exploring innovative approaches to revitalise the tourism industry.

The Meeting focused on reports of Results of implementing the ASEAN+3 Tourism Cooperation Work Plan for the period 2021 - 2025; Results of tourism cooperation between ASEAN countries and China, Japan, and Korea; progress of activities ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), ASEAN-Japan Centre (AJC) and ASEAN-Korea Centre (AKC); develop the ASEAN+3 Tourism Cooperation Work Plan post 2025; …

At the Meeting, VNAT’s Vice Chairman Ha Van Sieu highly appreciates the continuous support from China, Japan, and Korea for ASEAN tourism development, particularly with promotional projects and events that have helped disseminate the ASEAN tourism image in these three countries.

Regarding the Vietnam tourism situation, VNAT’s Vice Chairman Ha Van Sieu stated, in 2023, Vietnam welcomed nearly 6 million visitor arrivals from China, Japan, and Korea, accounting for 47% of total international arrivals. During the first six months of 2024, there has been continuous strong performance in these markets with a total 4.5 million arrivals, which increased by 88% compared to the same period last year. China, Japan, and Korea remain crucial source markets for Vietnam, and Vietnam tourism has implemented various policies to facilitate smoother travel. Since August 2023, Vietnam has introduced a new visa policy, extending the duration of stay for tourists applying for e-visas to up to 90 days, and for those eligible for visa exemption to up to 45 days.

To jointly boost tourism cooperation among ASEAN Plus Three, Vietnam is committed to working closely with all member states to complete the current ASEAN+3  Tourism Cooperation Work Plan and to develop a new Plan post 2025; encourage ASEAN+3 countries to actively contribute to joint tourism projects and activities and consider creating more favourable conditions for tourists from the region; focus more on joint marketing campaign to promote and prioritised ASEAN+3 destinations through travel businesses and media outlets.

Delegates attending the Meeting online

The Meeting noted the reports of the main Coordinators on progress in implementing the Work Plan, including: areas of sustainable tourism development, product development, product quality improvement, general promotion, tourism data, crisis communication, promoting the role of ASEAN Centers in the 3 partner countries.

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