ASEAN Extends Cooperation with China, Japan and South Korea

Phnom Penh, Cambodia (17 January 2011)

ASEAN NTOs pose for picture at 18th meeting of ASEAN+3 NTOs meeting

 The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China, Japan, Republic of South Korea continues to cooperate in tourism sector. The ASEAN side urged the three countries to continue to strengthen cooperation in the development of regional tourism, economic development and to improve living standards.

 During the 18^th meeting,  H.E Tith Chantha, Director General of Ministry of Tourism of Cambodia stress that important issues were discuss related to tourism, cooperation, result and plans for the future. The meeting included Ms. Wang Yanjie, Deputy Director of China National Tourism Administration of Tourism Promotion and International Cooperation Department, Mr Naoyoshi Yamada, vice commissioner for international Affairs of Japan Tourism Agency and Mr. Shin Pyungsup, director of Korea National Tourism Organization.

He told the media after the meeting that China, Japan, and Republic of South Korea are playing an immense role in the field of tourism, and continue to help ASEAN in term of personnel training and tourism promotion within ASEAN. ASEAN countries at the meeting also called attention to strengthen cooperation with China, Japan and Republic of South Korea, which expressing gratitude for their help.

He pointed out that tourism cooperation prospects for ASEAN, China, Japan and the Republic of Korea are promising. “ASEAN+3 Meeting discuss on the promotion of tourism development and encouraging visitors from China, Japan and Republic of South Korea to ASEAN”.

"All three countries [have] tourists that visit the ASEAN tourism [and] it is growing. In 2010, 70 million tourists visited ASEAN (10.67 percent growth compared to 2009) including 10 million tourists from China, Japanese and Korean. Only Cambodia, tourists from China, Japan and South Korea is increased by around 40 percent in 2010," he said.

He continued to say that Cambodia stands to gain from China, Japan, and South Korea. “Tourists from these three countries to Cambodia are increasing from year to year, and the tourists play an important role in economic and social development in Cambodia”.

The ASEAN+3 Senior Officials Meeting is also discuss on the “ASEAN Tourism Strategic Development Plan 2011-2015”, ASEAN hopes that China, Japan and Republic of South Korea support the strategic plan, and that the region contributes to development and poverty reduction.

During the meeting, all three countries established the “China - ASEAN Center”, “Japan - ASEAN Center”, “South Korea - ASEAN Center”. These three Centers have an important role in the development of tourism promotion, cultural tourism and human resources, he noted.

Ms. Wang Yanjie stressed that China attaches an importance to strengthening tourism cooperation with ASEAN countries, and are willingness to strengthen cooperation such as personnel training and tourism publicity.

By S.L (Vol. 5, Issue 4, SEAW)