On 25 January 2018, the 21st Meeting of ASEAN Tourism Ministers and International Organizations/Associations was held in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The meeting was co-chaired by H.E. Mr. Weerasak Kowsurat, Minister of Tourism and Sports of Thailand, and H.E. Mr. Ngvyen Ngoc Thien, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Viet Nam. Attended the meeting were ministers or delegates from ASEAN Member States, Mr. Hirubalan, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN Secretariat, H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), Secretaries-General of ASEAN-Japan Centre (AJC) and ASEAN-Korea Centre (AKC), as well as the leaders of international tourism organizations, such as UNWTO, WTTC, PATA, ATRA, SEATGA and US-ABC..

Secretary-General Yang Xiuping delivered a speech at the meeting. She valued the fruitful results of ASEAN-China relations and practical cooperation. She said that tourism is the highlight of ASEAN-China relations. The bilateral visits between ASEAN countries and China have been increased to new heights continuously, which have played a crucial role in deepening mutually beneficial cooperation and enhancing the understanding and friendship between the people from both sides. At the 20th ASEAN-China Summit held last year, leaders of both ASEAN and China emphasized the need to further deepen cooperation, expand the scale of bilateral visits, and plan blueprints for the future tourism cooperation.

Secretary-General Yang Xiuping briefed on the work of ACC in promoting cooperation between the two parties. She said that encompassing the 50th Anniversary of ASEAN in 2017, ACC continued to build new platforms, explore new opportunities, and carry out a series of colorful activities, to highlight the ASEAN-China Year of Tourism Cooperation and echo the Visit ASEAN@50 campaign. ACC took an active part in various tourism Expos to promote tourism resources of both sides, translated the 50 Golden Trails of ASEAN and published its Chinese version, co-organized capacity building projects on China-ready in ASEAN countries and ASEAN-China Ecotourism Development Seminar, held the ASEAN-China Quality and Sustainable Tourism Development Conference and ASEAN Tourism Photo Exhibition, co-organized ASEAN-China Tourism Festival and ASEAN-China Tourism Development Forum, worked with Beijing Television Station on the ASEAN Tourism Documentary Shooting Project “Hi! ASEAN” in 10 ASEAN countries, which received good results.

Secretary-General Yang Xiuping said that encompassing the 15th anniversary of ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership and the ASEAN-China Year of Innovation in 2018, ACC would continue to implement the consensus by both sides’ leaders and implement three flagship projects on tourism, including “ Promoting ASEAN-China Tourism Destination and Exchanges”, “ ASEAN-China Tourism Capacity Building Project on China-Ready”, and “ Chinese Language Training for Chinese Language Tour Guides Teachers from ASEAN Member States”. She looked forward to continuing to work closely with ASEAN NTOs and relevant international and regional organizations, and promoting new achievements in ASEAN-China tourism cooperation, so as to contribute more to promoting regional development and prosperity and the all-around and in-depth development of ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership.

Delegates of other international and regional organizations at the meeting introduced the relevant information on tourism exchanges with ASEAN countries in 2017, as well as future plans and projects. ASEAN tourism ministers or delegates fully acknowledged the relevant organizations’ fruitful work in promoting the development of ASEAN tourism industry, looked forward to deepening cooperation, further tapping the potential for cooperation, innovating the form of cooperation, to play a greater role in the sustainable development of ASEAN and the local tourism industries.