Thursday, January 20, 2011

ASEAN Tourism Forum 2011 opens in Cambodia

VIBRANT display of fireworks filled the Cambodian night sky as the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2011 kicked off last January 18, 2011 at the Diamond Island Convention and Exhibition Center grounds in the capital city of Phnom Penh.

Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the ATF 2011 in Cambodia, tagged as the Kingdom of Wonder, played host to tourism ministers and delegates from ASEAN nations, tour operators and representatives from China, Japan, Korea, India, Russia, and more than 150 members from the
international media, including Mindanao Times.

Cambodian tourism minister and permanent vice-chair of the ATF 2011 organizing committee Dr. Thong Khon revealed that this year’s ATF Travel Exchange (TRAVEX) achieved a record-breaking number of participants with over 500 booths consisting of local and internationals buyers and sellers.

The TRAVEX is an important platform for tour operators from the ASEAN and around the world to gather and discuss matters regarding the regional tourism industry.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia Samdech Akka Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen
emphasized in his declaration of the ATF 2011’s opening the importance of the tourism forum in the region, as a great opportunity for public and private stakeholders in the tourism sector to gather and share opinion in preparing for a strategic plan to attract more tourists to visit the ASEAN region.

He also cited the ASEAN as a captivating and highly competitive tourist destination for development, based on uniqueness of the region’s potentials and diversity of history and culture and tremendous natural resources.

In 2010, ASEAN showed a tourism growth of 10% as the rest of the world showed signs of economic recovery. It proved the resilience of the region’s economy, particularly intra-ASEAN tourism movement sharing up to 45% (or more than 20 million people) of the total tourist arrivals in the ASEAN (or around 20 million people), playing a vital role in accelerating intra-ASEAN economic activities.

Dr. Sok An, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister in Charge of the Office of Ministers, and Chair of the ATF 2011 organizing committee also presented a comprehensive report on the ATF 2011 during the opening ceremony.

To enliven the ceremonies, a group of artists from the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts showcased The Great Khmer Civilization, a colorful theatrical presentation of Cambodia’s history.

The Philippines is represented in the ATF 2011 by Department of Tourism secretary Alberto Lim, tourism regional director Arturo Boncato, Jr., buyers and sellers from Manila, Bohol, Cebu and Davao.

ATF 2011 will conclude tomorrow, Friday, January 21, 2011, with the closing and the handing over ceremonies to ATF 2012 host Manado, Indonesia.

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