ASEAN tourism ministers aim for more young travellers

Jan 31, 2007, 4:40 GMT

Singapore - South-east Asian tourism ministers sought on Wednesday to lure youth from around the world as part of their regional tourism drive.

The delegates from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), China, Japan and South Korea also aimed at promoting the region as a seamless destination as well as increasing connectivity between the countries.

Global numbers presented at the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2007 in Singapore showed that up to one-quarter of all travellers are classified in the youth market. ASEAN was described as home to a large number of the 'MTV generation.'

The ministers endorsed the meeting of youth ministers set for April in the city-state and exhorted youth organizations to support ASEAN's tourism pitch to young travellers over the next three years.

The ministers were urged earlier to stimulate tourism by adopting full open skies before the 10-member grouping celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2017.

Becoming bolder is necessary to boost tourism growth, Singapore's Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said at the opening ceremony on Tuesday night.

'Freer skies within ASEAN and between ASEAN and key countries will not only boost ASEAN's tourism industry, but also have many positive multiplier effects on our respective economies,' said Goh, noting that Europe's open skies regime is 'ample evidence' of that.

Tourism arrivals to the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) grew strongly last year, with more than 56 million visitors, 8 per cent higher than in 2005.

The forum, which continues through February 2, is also focusing on turning ASEAN into a cruise destination and coming up with a draft for a common benchmark that will allow tourism workers to move between ASEAN countries with ease.

A road map is in place to lift restrictions on air travel between the capital cities of ASEAN members by next year. Open skies agreements between ASEAN and China and the grouping and India are in the works.

More needs to be done to brand and market ASEAN as a single destination without neglecting intra-ASEAN tourism, said Goh, Singapore's former prime minister.

China and India are growth engine for the region, he said, particularly in terms of tourism. As the two Asian giants build up their tourism infrastructure, they will draw in more tourists, further fuelling the growth in the region.

To present ASEAN to the world, there are plans to produce common ASEAN advertising in in-flight magazines, and promotional video material to be distributed to airlines.

China and South Korea are closer to setting up trade, investment and tourism offices in ASEAN, the delegates were told. Ties with India and Russia have also been given a boost by senior ASEAN officials.