Asean set to let world feel its warmth

Competitiveness Enhancement (ACE) Project in close collaboration with the Asean Tourism Association (Aseanta) yesterday presented the campaign to the ministers. ACE is a US Agency for International Development-backed project to help Asean enhance the integration and competitiveness of its travel and tourism sectors.

R J Gurley, project director of ACE, told The Brunei Times the primary objective is to make the site sustainable and improve it over time for the hard launch in March at the tourism expo in Berlin. “We had a presentation to the National Tourism Organisation (NTO) on Thursday and Aseanta President Felix Cruz presented the website and marketing plan to officially ask for endorsement from the NTO. I’m pleased to report that again we have the unanimous, enthusiastic and official endorsement from them for our campaign.”

Oscar Palabyab, Philippine Undersecretary for Tourism Services and Regional Offices, during a meeting with Aseanta representatives reminded them to consider suggestions made by ministers to the website. “Aseanta in return request that materials like images for the website come from the NTOs themselves,” he said.

Cambodia’s Minister of Tourism Dr Thong Khon said the website is an important marketing tool but it still needs to be fine-tuned. “The challenge for Asean to be one destination, however, is we have to promote it a lot and it needs to be further developed.”

Brunei’s Minister of Industry and Primary Resources Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Hj Yahya Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar said Brunei will also play its part in promoting other countries to reciprocate their initiatives to promote the Sultanate as part of the Southeastasia.org initiative to promote intra-regional travel. “We will be carrying out promotions. We have been doing joined promotions for example in Malaysian Borneo states. We don’t see any problem with reciprocating other countries, for example, India. We are promoting them here and they are promoting us as well. It is a joint cooperation,” he said.

Sasithara Pichaichannarong, Thailand’s Permanent Secretary from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, said the website is Asean’s new marketing tool. “Ten years ago we had ‘Visit Asean’ and now it’s time to change this strategy and marketing tool towards more electronic ways, which is through website presentation rather than printouts. The idea is very good, today we more or less acknowledge it,” she said.

“Southeastasia.org has been recognised means that we recognise they should continue to with modifications according to the suggestions made by ministers,” she added.

Sasithara believes that the cultural diversity of each nation would not be overlooked when promoting Asean as a single tourist destination. “On the contrary, it is an attraction. I sometimes say a Thai looks like Laos and vice versa but both are different. Bruneians may look like Malaysians or Singaporeans but you are not, you are you. These factors attract people, if not they won’t go to different countries, they will visit other countries because of the culture so this is also another marketing tool to attract people to see a number of things,” she said.

Somphong Mongkhonvilay, Minister of Lao National Tourism Administration, speaking on the challenges that Asean is facing in promoting itself as a single tourist destination said, “Once the strategic plan is properly formulated, it would require every country to put in their earnest efforts to realise the objectives envisioned in the plan.” He proposed for member-states to promote themselves along with their closest neighbours, then build this promotion towards a regional approach. “Connectivity via air, road, sea and train linkages is an integral aspect to be considered in this promotion drive.” With reports from Melvin Jong, Ubaidillah Masli and Fitri Shahminan

Source:news.brunei.fm/