JOHOR BARU: Asean tourism ministers have discussed strategies to boost regional tourism, with an emphasis on simplifying cross-border travel processes to allow easier movement between member countries.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said tourism is a vital pillar of economic growth in the region, and improving cross-border collaboration is essential for creating a competitive and accessible tourism environment.
"We must simplify policies that will increase the number of tourists coming in. Of course, we cannot be lax on the security front but I believe this issue should be discussed further within our respective countries," he said after chairing the 28th Asean tourism ministers' meeting here on Sunday (Jan 19).
Meanwhile, on the issue of scams involving tourists, Tiong urged Asean member countries to look at the issue seriously and find an amicable solution as it was a big issue in the region.
"We must capture (solve) this problem which tourists are facing now," he said.
The meeting was part of the Asean Tourism Forum (ATF) 2025, taking place from Jan 15 to Jan 20.
The forum's aims to promote regional tourism products, facilitate exchange of knowledge, foster valuable networking and improve collaboration with global tourism industry leaders to increase the number of tourists to Asean. – Bernama
