HANOI, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- The opening ceremony of the 38th ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) was held on Wednesday in Vietnam's northern Quang Ninh province, with delegates slated for discussing measures to make ASEAN a quality tourism destination in the world by 2025.
Some 2,000 delegates to the forum, including representatives national tourism organizations of ASEAN state members, and the World Tourism Organization are to put forth and adopt measures to realize a target set in the 2016-2025 ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan.
The target is that by 2025, ASEAN will be a quality tourism destination offering a unique, diverse ASEAN experience, and will be committed to responsible, sustainable, inclusive and balanced tourism development, so as to contribute significantly to the socioeconomic well-being of ASEAN people.
Themed "ASEAN -- The Power of One," the forum is in line with ASEAN cooperation towards a "One Vision, One Identity, One Community" bloc.
According to the delegates, ASEAN countries will mantain initiatives such as the marketing of ASEAN as a single destination, implementation of the ASEAN tourism standards, and implementation of the ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Tourism Professionals.
Addressing the opening ceremony of the 38th ATF which will conclude on Friday, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam said the annual forum, held alternately in ASEAN countries, plays an increasingly important part in regional tourism cooperation in particular and regional economic, cultural, social and political cooperation in general.
