Thailand to host 37th ASEAN Tourism Forum

Ha Long Bay - Vietnam (Source: VNA)

Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports has held a press conference on the 37th ASEAN Tourism Forum 2018 (ATF 2018), which will take place in Chiang Mai province in January 2018. 

Permanent Secretary for Tourism and Sports Pongpanu Svetarundra said the event would bring together delegates from the 10 ASEAN member nations and regional allies such as China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Russia and India. 

More than 2,000 people, including business operators, members of public and private organizations, and the general public, are expected to attend the forum. The forum will be held under the theme "ASEAN – Sustainable Connectivity, Boundless Prosperity." 

Participants will discuss opportunities to strengthen cooperation for mutual tourism development. 

Pongpanu asserted that the event would allow Thailand to demonstrate the preparedness of its tourism sector and promote the ASEAN region as a single tourist destination. 

Next year, the Tourism Authority of Thailand will launch its "Amazing Thailand Tourism Year 2018" campaign, in a call for sustainable tourism. The first event promoted under the campaign is the ASEAN Gastronomy Conference. It will feature various speakers from different countries, as well as tours of Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden, the Nong Hoi Royal Project Development Center and the Ban Rai Kong Khing Community, which has won national and international awards for exemplary community-based tourism. 

The conference will be organised from January 21-27, 2018 at the Shangri-La Hotel in the capital district of Chiang Mai.

VNA