Officials pose for a photo at the ASEAN+3 Tourism Ministers' Meeting in Quang Ninh province on January 18 (Photo: VNA)Quang Ninh (VNS/VNA) -The Republic of Korea (RoK) will continue work on visas so that more peoplefrom ASEAN countries can easily make a visit, said Yu Byung-chae, Director Generalof the Tourism Industry Bureau under the RoK’s Ministry of Culture, Sports andTourism.
Yu was speaking at the meeting ofASEAN+3 (China, Japan and the RoK) Tourism Ministers in Ha Long city innorthern Quang Ninh province on January 18.
“We have extended multiple visas forASEAN countries. In Vietnam, the visa system will be improved by issuing shortterm multiple-entry visas for residents of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang.We will continue various visa programmes for ASEAN countries, such as theissuance of electronic visas for tourist groups,” he said.
According to Yu, in 2018, the RoKwelcomed a total of 2.3 million visitors from ASEAN members. In particular, Vietnamshowed the largest increase with 480,000 tourists.
A large number of Korean touristsvisited ASEAN countries, with 2.9 million visiting Vietnam, 1.5 milliontravelling to Thailand and 1.4 million to the Philippines, which are the mostvisited destinations in ASEAN.
While noting the significantincrease of people-to-people exchange between ASEAN and the RoK and lookingforward to the goal of reaching 15 million travellers by 2020, the RoK’sGovernment will implement initiatives to enhance mutual ties with ASEAN, hesaid.
The RoK will concentrate on creatingits tourism sector through promoting peace tourism to develop tour products inmilitarised zones, promoting attractions at film locations and planning toorganise an ASEAN welcome week so that ASEAN tourists feel more at home in theRoK.
Other tourism leaders from Japan andChina also shared future plans of their countries to further enhance tourismco-operation with ASEAN member states.
They all agreed that ASEAN+3 tourismco-operation has great potential and broad prospects.
Hideyuki Tanaka, parliamentaryvice-minister of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism of Japan, saidvisitors from ASEAN to Japan in 2017 reached a record high of 3 million.
“We place a great emphasis onoutbound tourism. We believe in the value of tourism exchange which enhancesmutual understanding and promotes peace among nations.
“Japanese public and private sectorsseek to promote outbound tourism by exploring new attractive foreign destinationsfor Japanese travellers. Through these efforts, Japan will further increase thenumber of Japanese visitors to ASEAN countries,” he said.
Xiong Bo, Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam,proposed that ASEAN and China should share the best practices and experience oftourism in various areas such as creating employment, driving investment,stimulating consumption, reducing poverty, promoting economic transition, andachieving sustainable development to realise regional common development.
On the basis of equality and mutual benefits, thecountries should promote data sharing of tourism and personnel exchanges, carryout joint promotion of tourism resources, support the development ofhigh-quality tourism, encourage participating and organising tourism festivalsand exhibitions.
Speaking about the outcomes of the 22nd meeting ofASEAN Tourism Ministers on January 17, Vietnamese Minister of Culture, Sportsand Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien said the ministers agreed to diversify theirtourism products through more than 130 products covering multi-ASEANdestinations.
Festivals, religious and cruise tourism will receiveincreased attention. Wellness, culture and heritage tourism will be at the coreof ASEAN tourism this year, he said.
The ministers also reached an agreement on developingquality tourism, attracting tourism investment, enhancing capabilities oftourism professionals as well as increasing community and private sectorparticipation.
The 23rd ASEAN Tourism Ministers Meeting will be heldin January next year in Brunei under the theme “ASEAN-Together Towards A NextGeneration Of Travel”.-VNS/VNA
Yu was speaking at the meeting ofASEAN+3 (China, Japan and the RoK) Tourism Ministers in Ha Long city innorthern Quang Ninh province on January 18.
“We have extended multiple visas forASEAN countries. In Vietnam, the visa system will be improved by issuing shortterm multiple-entry visas for residents of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang.We will continue various visa programmes for ASEAN countries, such as theissuance of electronic visas for tourist groups,” he said.
According to Yu, in 2018, the RoKwelcomed a total of 2.3 million visitors from ASEAN members. In particular, Vietnamshowed the largest increase with 480,000 tourists.
A large number of Korean touristsvisited ASEAN countries, with 2.9 million visiting Vietnam, 1.5 milliontravelling to Thailand and 1.4 million to the Philippines, which are the mostvisited destinations in ASEAN.
While noting the significantincrease of people-to-people exchange between ASEAN and the RoK and lookingforward to the goal of reaching 15 million travellers by 2020, the RoK’sGovernment will implement initiatives to enhance mutual ties with ASEAN, hesaid.
The RoK will concentrate on creatingits tourism sector through promoting peace tourism to develop tour products inmilitarised zones, promoting attractions at film locations and planning toorganise an ASEAN welcome week so that ASEAN tourists feel more at home in theRoK.
Other tourism leaders from Japan andChina also shared future plans of their countries to further enhance tourismco-operation with ASEAN member states.
They all agreed that ASEAN+3 tourismco-operation has great potential and broad prospects.
Hideyuki Tanaka, parliamentaryvice-minister of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism of Japan, saidvisitors from ASEAN to Japan in 2017 reached a record high of 3 million.
“We place a great emphasis onoutbound tourism. We believe in the value of tourism exchange which enhancesmutual understanding and promotes peace among nations.
“Japanese public and private sectorsseek to promote outbound tourism by exploring new attractive foreign destinationsfor Japanese travellers. Through these efforts, Japan will further increase thenumber of Japanese visitors to ASEAN countries,” he said.
Xiong Bo, Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam,proposed that ASEAN and China should share the best practices and experience oftourism in various areas such as creating employment, driving investment,stimulating consumption, reducing poverty, promoting economic transition, andachieving sustainable development to realise regional common development.
On the basis of equality and mutual benefits, thecountries should promote data sharing of tourism and personnel exchanges, carryout joint promotion of tourism resources, support the development ofhigh-quality tourism, encourage participating and organising tourism festivalsand exhibitions.
Speaking about the outcomes of the 22nd meeting ofASEAN Tourism Ministers on January 17, Vietnamese Minister of Culture, Sportsand Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien said the ministers agreed to diversify theirtourism products through more than 130 products covering multi-ASEANdestinations.
Festivals, religious and cruise tourism will receiveincreased attention. Wellness, culture and heritage tourism will be at the coreof ASEAN tourism this year, he said.
The ministers also reached an agreement on developingquality tourism, attracting tourism investment, enhancing capabilities oftourism professionals as well as increasing community and private sectorparticipation.
The 23rd ASEAN Tourism Ministers Meeting will be heldin January next year in Brunei under the theme “ASEAN-Together Towards A NextGeneration Of Travel”.-VNS/VNA
VNA
