JOHOR BARU: Asean countries should balance tourism and growth as they emerge from the shadows of the Covid-19 pandemic, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
Fadillah, who is also the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, said this approach would help address over-tourism, a critical challenge for Asean member countries to tackle.
"Addressing the challenges of over-tourism is critical to maintaining the balance between tourism growth and public goods.
"Tourism in post-pandemic Asean must focus not only on recovery but also on transitioning to a sustainable, quality-driven business model," he said.
He said this during his speech at the Asean Tourism Forum at the Persada International Convention Centre here on Saturday night (Jan 18).
The Deputy Prime Minister added that the region can lead global efforts in tourism by promoting aviation decarbonisation, renewable energy integration, and innovative approaches.
"These initiatives aim to ensure equitable benefits for local communities while preserving cultural authenticity and protecting the environment," he said.
He also noted that the Action Roadmap for Sustainable Tourism Development in Asean, endorsed by Asean Tourism Ministers last year, outlines strategies to promote sustainable and inclusive tourism in the region.
Fadillah also called on Asean nations to focus on quality investments as they recover from the pandemic.
"While tourism investments are recovering, with foreign direct investment (FDI) in the sector increasing from US$1.2bil (RM5.41bil) in 2022 to US$2.8bil (RM12.61bil) in 2023, this is still far below the pre-pandemic peak of US$24.5bil (RM110.37bil) in 2019.
"To address this gap, Asean must prioritise quality investments that diversify destinations, redistribute tourist flows, and leverage technology to reduce pressure on existing hotspots.
"By doing so, Asean can position itself as a vital platform for promoting inclusive and well-balanced tourism growth in the region," he said.
Also present at the opening ceremony here were Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing and Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.
