On 12 March 2018, the 2nd ASEAN Tourism Marketing Partnership (ATMP) Meeting was held in Manila. The meeting aimed to summarize and review the vigourous development of ASEAN tourism and the success of “Visit ASEAN @ 50 Golden Celebration” campaign, further consolidate and deepen the good relations between ASEAN Member States and the relevant tourism partners, further strengthen the communication and cooperation with these partners, and jointly carry out tourism promotion activities to enhance ASEAN’s brand awareness and share plans in promoting ASEAN in the region.

The ASEAN Secretariat and the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) were the co-hosts of ATMP Working Group. Mr. Benito C. Bengzon, JR. Undersecretary of DOT chaired the meeting. Attended the event were 100 officials from ASEAN National Tourism Organizations (NTOs), ASEAN Secretariat and ASEAN Tourism Marketing Coordinator, representatives from ASEAN-Japan Centre and relevant tourism partners. Mr. Chen kesong, Tourism Officer of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), attended the meeting on behalf of ACC and delivered a presentation.

Mr. Benito highly appreciated the achievements of ASEAN-China tourism cooperation, and expressed gratitude to ACC on behalf of ASEAN NTOs for its hard work under the theme of the ASEAN-China Year of Tourism Cooperation and the 50th Anniversary of ASEAN in 2017. He hoped that in this year, ACC would continue to play a bridging role to carry out more innovative projects, and further deepen the exchanges and cooperation between ASEAN and China in tourism and other related fields.

Mr. Chen Kesong, in his presentation, congratulated on the achievements of tourism development of ASEAN Member States and expressed sincere thanks to ASEAN NTOs, ASEAN Secretariat and relevant international organizations for their strong support to ACC. He briefed ACC’s efforts in ASEAN-China tourism cooperation and ACC’s series planed tourism activities in the ASEAN-China Year of Innovation in 2018 in which he welcomed all parties to participate. The participants exchanged views on the focus of ACC’s tourism work in 2018 with Mr. Chen Kesong. Both sides had reached a consensus on strengthening the communication and cooperation between ASEAN NTOs, governments and relevant agencies, deepening ASEAN-China cooperation in tourism and related fields, and promoting the economic and social development of the region.