People wait before crossing a road in front of a shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur on Jun 2, 2022. (Photo: AFP)
Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Malaysia’s tourism, arts and culture minister Nancy Shukri has expressed her belief that ASEAN has the potential to be a quality tourism destination, especially with the ASEAN Tourism Strategy Plan 2015-2025 in place. Moving forward, ASEAN countries will be able to work together to strengthen collaborations in marketing and promoting the region’s tourism attractions.
She said ASEAN can be a quality tourism destination offering a unique and diverse experience and committed to responsible, sustainable, inclusive and balanced tourism development.
Nancy said this will contribute significantly to the socio-economic wellbeing of the people in the region.
Commenting on the meeting of representatives from nine ASEAN member countries in Kuala Lumpur on July 6, Nancy said it was held to foster a closer bilateral relationship between Malaysia and ASEAN countries as well as to reconnect after two long years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
She said the cooperation was important to the Malaysian tourism industry as ASEAN countries were major contributors to the country’s international tourist arrivals, which accounts for 68.5% of the overall pre-COVID-19 arrivals.
The July 6 event was attended by the ambassadors of Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam as well as the high commissioners from Singapore and Brunei./.
VNA