Developing sustainable and effective ASEAN tourism

ASEAN is one of the most dynamic tourism development regions in the Asia-Pacific region. Most ASEAN member countries focus on tourism development, considering tourism an important economic sector of the national economy. Accordingly, by 2025, ASEAN will become "a high-quality tourism destination, providing visitors with diverse and unique experiences; developing in a sustainable, responsible, comprehensive and balanced manner; contributing significantly to the socio-economic development of people in the entire region". To realize the vision, the Strategy has set out two major orientations, including enhancing the competitiveness of ASEAN tourism as a common destination and ensuring sustainable and comprehensive development. With 10 specific action programs identified to achieve the set goals. ASEAN has also set out a number of specific goals including increasing the GDP contribution of ASEAN tourism from 12% to 15%; employment contribution increased from 3.7% to 7%; average international tourist expenditure increased from US$877 to US$1,500; average length of stay of international tourists increased from 6.3 nights to 8 nights; number of units receiving awards according to ASEAN standards increased from 86 to 300; number of projects aiming at developing community-based value chains increased from 43 to over 300.

Many opportunities for tourism development cooperation between Vietnam, ASEAN and other countries

ASEAN member countries have developed the ASEAN Tourism Standards to standardize tourism services, define a common criteria framework, from which countries in the region agree to implement to improve quality, build ASEAN into a quality destination. Accordingly, tourism service businesses need to meet 8 standards such as: green hotels, homestays, community tourism, sustainable tourism products, MICE venues (a type of tourism combining conferences, seminars, exhibitions, event organization, corporate incentive tourism for employees and partners), clean tourist cities, public toilets and services. With the ASEAN tourism development strategy, the issue of competitiveness is stated as a key factor to attract tourists to ASEAN, including the following factors: marketing, product development, investment, product quality, services, human resources, connectivity and infrastructure, creating favorable conditions for travel can be considered a breakthrough and difference. Along with sustainable, responsible and comprehensive development, the Strategy implementation mechanism is clearly defined through the Competitiveness Committee, the Sustainable and Inclusive Development Committee, the Resource Assessment, Monitoring and Exploitation Committee and the Tourism Industry Monitoring Committee. In addition, there are dialogue partners, ASEAN authorities, the ASEAN Tourism Association and other partners. Each action program has a clear roadmap so that the committees can plan specific activities for each stage, towards the set goals.

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In recent years, festival tourism has gradually developed in many Southeast Asian countries. The way of organizing festivals has been increasingly innovated and professionalized with many activities to attract tourists. Many festivals have become national brands, attracting a large number of participants from all over the world . With specific quantified goals, especially indicators on economic contribution and employment, it is the basis for evaluating the results of activities and contributions of the industry, thereby enhancing the role of the tourism industry in the development of the ASEAN Community in general and for each country in particular. The Vietnam Tourism Development Strategy with a vision to 2030 has shown the contents of the ASEAN Tourism Development Strategy, especially marketing, product development, product quality, services and human resources. At the same time, it is necessary to closely coordinate with ministries, branches and localities to promote the development of investment, connectivity and infrastructure, creating favorable conditions for travel. For Vietnam tourism, ASEAN is one of the most important markets and partners. At the same time, multilateral cooperation within the framework of ASEAN also plays an important role in Vietnam's international tourism cooperation.

Huong Giang