Representing Malaysia was Motac secretary-general Datuk Roslan Abdul Rahman (right) who co-chaired the Senior Officials Meeting of Asean+3 NTOs at the ATF 2025.
Nations collaborate at Asean Tourism Forum 2025 to boost tourism across region
THEMED “Unity in Motion, Shaping Asean Tourism Tomorrow”, the Asean Tourism Forum (ATF) 2025 officially concluded last month.
Held from Jan 15-20 at Persada Johor International Convention Centre in Johor Baru, the forum showcased the region’s collective commitment to fostering sustainable, inclusive and resilient tourism while enhancing collaboration and global partnerships.
It was organised by the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (Motac) and officiated by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof with Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi attending the opening ceremony on Jan 18.
ATF 2025 connected tourism ministers, National Tourism Organisations (NTOs) heads, industry leaders and stakeholders from Asean member states and dialogue partners, including China, Japan, South Korea, India and Russia.
The forum featured key events, including the 28th Meeting of Asean Tourism Ministers (Jan 19-20) and the 61st Asean NTOs Meeting (Jan 16-17) at DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Baru.
These discussions focused on strategies to strengthen regional tourism frameworks, enhance resilience and advance shared priorities.
Key outcomes included a status review of the Asean Tourism Strategic Plan 2016-2025, the development of the Asean Tourism Sectoral Plan Post-2025, standardisation of Asean Tourism performance metrics, a proposal to establish an Asean-Australia tourism mechanism and the development of Asean Tourism Outlook Towards 2030.
ATF 2025 also featured Travel Exchange (Travex), which attracted 323 buyers, 221 sellers, 221 exhibitors and 100 media representatives from the region and beyond.
This dynamic marketplace showcased Asean’s diverse tourism offerings, enabling participants to forge new partnerships and reinforce existing collaborations.
Meanwhile, the Asean Tourism Conference provided valuable insights through expert-led discussions on emerging tourism trends such as sustainable tourism practices, digital marketing, smart tourism and climate resilience strategies.
It gathered over 250 participants – comprising policymakers, industry leaders and academics – to shape the future of the region’s tourism industry.
On Jan 20 at the Asean Tourism Standards Awards, 30 establishments received the fifth Asean Homestay Award, 41 communities earned the fourth Asean Community-Based Tourism Award, 41 venues were recognised with the third Asean Public Toilet Award and 42 establishments won the third Asean Spa Services Award.
As Asean Chair 2025, Malaysia used ATF 2025 to promote a sustainable, inclusive and resilient tourism industry, positioning the region as a unified and globally recognised tourism destination.
The Philippines will take over the Asean Chairmanship in 2026, with Cebu set to host the next ATF.
Boosting tourism cooperation
At ATF 2025, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing and South Korea’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Yu In-chon signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on “Cooperation in the Field of Tourism”, signifying the strengthened ties between Malaysia and South Korea.
The MOU is a key milestone in fostering closer collaboration between the two nations in the tourism sector, as it outlines a shared commitment and vision to enhance mutual understanding, exchange and cooperation in various tourism aspects.
It emphasises tourism promotion and marketing, capacity building, tourism information and best practices sharing, boosting business tourism, and developing community-based tourism and ecotourism.
With the signing of the MOU, Malaysia and South Korea reaffirmed their dedication to strengthening bilateral relations through tourism by enhancing cultural exchanges, generating economic opportunities, and fostering higher tourism arrivals and receipts.
For info, visit www.motac.gov.my.
