Calling for market integration

To leverage resources and promote cooperation, delegates to the 45th APEC Tourism Working Group Meeting called for promoting integration by adopting the 2012-15 APEC Strategic Plan made in 2012.

The APEC member economies are expected to take follow-up steps to improve roadmaps and collective plans of action for integrated cooperation in tourism.

They also recommended enhanced cooperation in developing tourism products, marketing and promotion, tourists service, international tourism investment, tax policies for tourism growth, personnel training and job creation.

Li Shihong, head of the marketing and international cooperation department at the China National Tourism Administration and co-chair of the TWG, said Asia-Pacific region is already has the largest tourism market in the world and has even greater potential.

"Members are witnessing great momentum in growth, which lays a solid foundation for the growth of tourism," said Li.

"Integration of this region not only boosts the economic growth but also has significant impact on the world economy. That's why we are actively promoting integration of tourism market in this region."

Rolando Caizal, assistant secretary of Tourism Development Planning Office from the Philippine Tourism Department, said he expects the TWG can agree on the future direction of tourism in APEC region.

The integration topic is one of the priorities of the TWG, which prepares for the coming eighth Tourism Ministerial Meeting.

Other key topics include smart tourism, connectivity-related issues and enhancing low-carbon tourism.

Result of the discussion will be released on Sept 13 in the form of Macao Declaration.

Javier Esteban Guillermo Molina, leader of the TWG, said he is quite positive about the achievement.

He added the declaration will elaborate on the expected transformation in the coming years. Yet Molina also mentioned that there were many challenges to integration.

"The Asia-Pacific region is a very big region to connect," said Molina. "It took a long flight from the United States to Hong Kong, not to mention the whole region. That is a challenge. It is also a challenge to communicate effectively among member economies with different cultures. We need to have a better cooperation mechanism."

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