Thursday 16 January 2020

THE 19th MEETING OF ASEAN PLUS THREE (CHINA, JAPAN AND REPUBLIC OF KOREA) TOURISM MINISTERS - JOINT MEDIA STATEMENT

This was held as part of the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2020 held on 16 January 2020 in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam

1. The 19th Meeting of the ASEAN Plus Three (ASEAN, China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea) Tourism Ministers was held on 16 January 2020 in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, in conjunction with the 23rd Meeting of ASEAN Tourism Ministers (M-ATM) and the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2020. The Meeting was co-chaired by H.E. Dato Ali Apong, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism of Brunei Darussalam and H.E. Mr. Wada Masamune, Parliamentary Vice-Minister, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan. The Meeting was preceded by the 36th Meeting of ASEAN Plus Three (APT) National Tourism Organisations (NTOs) held on 14 January 2020.

2. The Ministers were pleased to acknowledge that in 2019, the APT region attracted 244.6 million international visitor arrivals, an increase by 5.8 per cent from 2018. The Ministers are optimistic that the tourism industry in the region would continue to grow as the ASEAN Plus Three Countries strengthen their cooperation through mutually beneficial projects and activities.

3. The Ministers noted the tourism-related outcomes of the 22nd ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Summit held on 4 November 2019, 22nd ASEAN-China Summit held on 3 November 2019, and 22nd ASEAN-Japan Summit held on 4 November 2019 in Bangkok, Thailand, and ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit held on 26 November 2019 in Busan, the ROK. The Ministers exchanged views on the progress of the implementation of Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) of the ASEAN Plus Three Tourism Cooperation, ASEAN Plus Three Tourism Cooperation Work Plan 2018-2020, as well as activities carried out between ASEAN and the Plus Three Countries under the ASEAN Plus One frameworks. The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen the cooperation among the ASEAN Plus Three Countries to make the region more competitive globally. In this regard, the Ministers exchanged views on ways to make the tourism and hospitality industry not only more attractive and robust but also more sustainable and aligned with the ASEAN Vision 2025.

4. The Ministers commended the progress made in the implementation of the MOC on ASEAN Plus Three Tourism Cooperation and the ASEAN Plus Three Tourism Cooperation Work Plan 2018-2020. The Ministers expressed appreciation to the lead countries for their active role in implementing the Work Plan activities throughout 2019, including among others, the production of a video on “Quality Tourism in ASEAN”, the convening of ASEAN Plus Three Environment Management Standards Forum on 25-26 July 2019 in Puerto Princesa, the Philippines, the convening of ASEAN Plus Three Tourism Youth Summit 2019 on 25-31 August 2019 in Chiang Mai, Thailand, the convening of Workshop on Tourism Village Community Service and Product Enhancement to Attract Youth Travellers in Millennial Era on 10-12 September 2019 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, the convening of ASEAN Tourism Human Resources Management and Development Network for Ecotourism Programme on 21-24 October 2019 in Kinabatangan, Malaysia, and the convening of ASEAN-Japan Tourism Investment Seminar on 23 October 2019 in Osaka, Japan. The Ministers endorsed the ASEAN Plus Three Framework on Environment Management Standards and encouraged all
ASEAN Plus Three Countries to use the Framework as their guidelines in implementing more sustainable tourism.

5. The Ministers looked forward to the implementation of the ASEAN Plus Three Tourism Cooperation Work Plan 2018-2020 activities to be convened in 2020, including among others, the development of Product Development Guidebook in Chinese, Japanese and Korean Language, the development of the ASEAN Plus Three Tourism Training and Education Network Directory, the development of a directory for establishments certified with ASEAN Green Hotel Standard and ASEAN MICE Venue Standard, the ASEAN Crisis Communication Special Meeting in Kuala Lumpur in June 2020, the ASEAN-China Tourism Investment Seminar in Shanghai, China in November 2020.

6. The Ministers looked forward to adopting the ASEAN Plus Three Tourism Cooperation Work Plan 2021-2025 at the 20th Meeting of the ASEAN Plus Three Tourism Ministers in January 2021 in Cambodia. In this regard, the Ministers tasked the ASEAN NTOs+3 to synergise the subsequent work plan with the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan (ATSP) 2016- 2025 as well as the relevant work plans under the ASEAN Plus One framework such as the new Plan of Action to implement the Joint Declaration on ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity (2021-2025), the Revised Implementation Plan of the Vision Statement on ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation: Shared Vision, Shared Identify, Shared Future, and the successor document to the ASEAN-ROK Plan of Action to Implement the Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity 2016-2020. The Ministers highlighted that the subsequent Work Plan should also focus on strategic as well as new and emerging areas of interests that are mutually beneficial to all ASEAN Plus Three Countries.

7. Under the ASEAN-China tourism cooperation, the ASEAN Tourism Ministers applauded China for convening the Xi’an Silk Road International Tourism Expo 2019 on 28- 31 March 2019 in Xi’an, China, the 4th ASEAN Gourmet Festival “The Harmony of Amazing Thai Flavours” on 17 May – 3 June 2019 in Beijing, China, Asian Culture and Tourism Exhibition on 16-18 May 2019 in Beijing, China, Chinese Language Training for Chinese Tour Guide Teachers on 28-30 May 2019 in Siem Reap, Cambodia, Tourism Seminar on “ChinaReady” on June 2019 in Mandalay, Myanmar, and on 27 June 2019 in Bangkok, Thailand, the 2nd ASEAN-China Belt and Road Culture and Tourism Exchange Week on 26-30 August 2019 in Guiyang, China, the 6th Sichuan International Tourism Expo and the 3rd ASEANChina Tourism Festival on 6-9 September 2019 in Leshan, China, 2019 China-ASEAN Expo Tourism Exhibition on 18-20 October 2019 in Guilin, China and China International Travel Mart on 15-17 November 2019 in Kunming, China.

8. The ASEAN Tourism Ministers welcomed Japan’s support for organising the ASEANJapan Women Entrepreneurs’ Linkage Programme on 27-30 January 2019 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, ASEAN Tourism Awards Japan 2018 on 6 March 2019 in Tokyo, Japan; Followup Training Programme on Interpretation on 27 February – 1 March 2019 in Luang Prabang, Lao PDR; Education Travel Seminar to ASEAN on 5 August 2019 in Tokyo, Japan, ASEAN Tourism for All Workshop on 17 September 2019 in Pattaya, Thailand, Tourism EXPO Japan 2019 on 24-27 October 2019 in Osaka, Japan; Workshop on Gastronomy Tourism on 17-23 November 2019 in Wakayama, Japan; and the Fourth UNWTO/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture on 12-13 December 2019 in Kyoto, Japan.

9. The ASEAN Tourism Ministers noted with appreciation the ROK’s continued support and active participation in the ASEAN-ROK tourism cooperation activities, including the Tourism Capacity-Building Workshop on 30-31 January 2019 in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, ASEAN Week 2019 on 14-16 June 2019 in Seoul, the ROK, ASEANKorea Tourism Development Workshop on 19-24 August 2019 in Jeju Island, the ROK; Muslim Friendly Korea on 5-8 September 2019 in Jakarta, Indonesia, Korea Culture and Tourism Festival on 28-29 September 2019 in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam; Korea Culture and Tourism Festival on 4-6 October 2019 in Manila, the Philippines, ASEAN Train 2019 on 15-19 October 2019 in Seoul, Busan, Gwangju and Korean Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), the ROK, Korea-ASEAN Cultural Tourism Forum in Gwangju, Korea on 23 October 2019, the ASEAN Welcome Week held throughout Korea on 20 November to 11 December 2019, and ASEAN Community-based Tourism Programme on 1-6 December 2019 in Mai Chau Valley and Ha Noi, Viet Nam.

10. The Ministers commended the vital roles played by the ASEAN-China Centre, ASEANJapan Centre and ASEAN-Korea Centre in promoting tourism, people-to-people and cultural exchanges between ASEAN and the Plus Three countries throughout 2019. The Ministers encouraged all the Centres to continue engaging the ASEAN NTOs in their endeavours to undertake their mandates as prescribed to in their respective Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of the ASEAN-China and ASEAN-Korea Centres and Agreement on the Establishment of the ASEAN-Japan Centre.

11. The Ministers expressed their sincere appreciation to the Government and People of Brunei Darussalam for the warm hospitality accorded to all delegations attending the ATF 2020 and for the excellent arrangements made for the Meetings.

LIST OF MINISTERS
The Meeting was attended by:
(i) H.E. Dato Ali Apong, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism, Brunei Darussalam;
(ii) H.E. Dr. Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism, Cambodia;
(iii) H.E. Mr. Xu Zhang, Vice Minister of Culture and Tourism, China;
(iv) H.E. Angela Tanoesoedibjo, Vice Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Indonesia;
(v) H.E. Mr. Wada Masamune, Parliamentary Vice-Minister, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan;
(vi) Mr. Hyun Rae Jo, Director General for Tourism Industry Policy, representing H.E. Mr. Park Yang-woo, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Republic of Korea;
(vii) H.E. Prof. Dr. Kikeo Khaykhamphithoune, Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Lao PDR;
(viii) H.E. Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Malaysia;
(ix) H.E. U Ohn Maung, Union Minister for Hotels and Tourism, Myanmar;
(x) H.E. Ms. Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Secretary of Tourism, Philippines;
(xi) Mr. Keith Tan, Chief Executive, Singapore Tourism Board, representing H.E. Mr. Chan Chun Sing, Minister for Trade and Industry, Singapore;
(xii) Mr. Siraphop Duangsodsri, Advisor to the Minister of Tourism and Sports, representing H.E. Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Minister for Tourism and Sports, Thailand;
(xiii) H.E. Mr. Le Quang Tung, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Viet Nam; and (xiv) H.E. Dr. Aladdin D. Rillo, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Economic Community.

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