Brunei hosts forum to discuss tourism industry in ASEAN

The 39th ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2020 raised its curtain on Sunday in Brunei.

With the theme "ASEAN - Together Towards a Next Generation of Travel," the ATF has two components - the official meetings, namely ASEAN Tourism Ministers Meetings, ASEAN National Tourism Organisations Meetings and other associated Meetings that will take place on Jan. 12-16; and TRAVEX, a 3-day event during the ATF that will be held on Jan. 14-16.

ATF is a co-operative regional effort to promote the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region as one tourist destination. Meanwhile, the ATF TRAVEX is a platform for the selling and buying of regional and individual tourism products.

This is a specialized event, which aims to provide convenient business-matching opportunities for suppliers of tourism products and services in ASEAN and for international buyers to meet and foster business relationships.

The ATF, which will be participated by 263 ASEAN exhibitors and attended by 144 international buyers, is expected to receive about 800 delegates consisting of ministers and senior officials, exhibitors, buyers and media.

Some 161 buyers from 43 countries or regions, including China, Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Germany, the United States, are expected to attend the ATF Travex.

The largest number of buyers are from China (11 percent), followed by the Philippines (7 percent), Singapore (6 percent) and India (6 percent).