Tuesday, January 21, 2025 ASEAN and Australia unite through a groundbreaking tourism partnership, aiming to transform travel experiences and foster stronger regional connections. ASEAN tourism ministers have unanimously endorsed the creation of the ASEAN-Australia Tourism Ministers’ Meeting, a strategic initiative to strengthen partnerships in the tourism sector. Malaysia’s Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (MOTAC) Secretary-General Datuk Roslan Abdul Rahman revealed that this proposal was thoroughly deliberated during the ASEAN Ministerial Meetings and is now progressing toward implementation.
Roslan highlighted that Malaysia spearheaded the initiative, presenting compelling reasons why the collaboration between ASEAN and Australia is essential at this time. He noted that all ASEAN ministers agreed on the importance of deepening ties with Australia to enhance tourism engagement. He further emphasized that while Australians already visit ASEAN destinations in significant numbers, Malaysia, as the ASEAN Chair in 2025, aims to elevate tourism cooperation between the regions to new heights.
The ASEAN Tourism Ministers’ Meeting was held alongside the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2025 (ATF 2025) in Johor, Malaysia, from January 15 to 20. ATF 2025 served as a platform to showcase regional tourism offerings, foster knowledge exchange, establish meaningful connections, and collaborate with global tourism leaders to drive increased tourist arrivals across ASEAN countries..
