On 14 of June 2016, the Cross-border Tourism Cooperation Forum of 4th China-South Asia Expo was held in Kunming. Mr. Liu Ping, senior politician of Yunnan Provincial Government, Dr. Bodrngkham Vongdara，Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism of Lao PDR, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Hung, Deputy Director General of the National Administration of Tourism of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Viet Nam, Mr. Shao Qiwei, Standing Member of CPPCC National Committee, H. E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), and Mr. Chen Dong, Deputy Director-General of National Tourism Administration of China, attended the forum and delivered speeches.
Mr. Liu Ping noted that Yunnan was endorsed by its favourable conditions for cross-border tourism cooperation. Relying on its rich tourism resources and unique geographical advantages, it was accelerating development of tourism industry as an economic pillar. Yunnan was now making great efforts to promote construction of cross-border infrastructure and transportation system, and speeding up construction of port supporting facilitation. It would continue communication and cooperation with Myanmar, Laos, Viet Nam, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia in the field of tourism products development, tourists source sharing, and mutual investment in order to nurse the cross-border tourism brand, explore new market and better facilitate regional peace and development.
Dr. Bodrngkham said that in recent years, tourism industry had grown very fast in Laos. In 2015, it received more than 4.6 million international tourists. Road link between Laos and China was very convenient which made Laos a transit hub between relevant ASEAN countries and China. The agreed Kunming-Singapore Railway Project would help bring more trade, investment and tourism cooperation between ASEAN and China. Laos also actively participated in tourism Expos hosted by Chinese government. The two sides were now in the process of preparing to sign MoU on the Development of Quality Standards for Tourist Attraction. It was believed that through the ASEAN-China cooperation mechanism, the two countries would further deepen tourism cooperation, enhance mutual friendship and benefit.
Mr. Nguyen Quoc Hung said tourism industry in Viet Nam witnessed remarkable achievementd with 7.9 million international tourists visiting the country last year. From 2010 to 2015 the number of international tourists increased by 1.5 times and tourism contributed to nearly 9% of the country’s total GDP. Good relations between Viet Nam and China and traditional friendship between the two peoples bring good momentum for cross-border tourism cooperation. The bilateral tourism cooperation would have s brighter future with the efforts from both sides.
Mr. Shao Qiwei said that cross-border tourism cooperation had become a new area of international tourism cooperation as well as a new option for China in strengthening foreign exchange. China and its nearby countries should further enhance cross-border tourism cooperation by formulating national development plan and taking facilitated measures. Building cross-border tourism cooperation area was a systematic project in need of support from national government, careful designd by all sides and to implement in a scientific and orderly manner step by step and phase by phase.
Secretary-General Yang Xiuping briefed on the work of ACC in terms of promoting ASEAN-China tourism cooperation. She said that to strengthen ASEAN-China cross-border cooperation would fully explore the unique geographical advantage between ASEAN and China, thus contribute to the improvement of social- economic development in the border areas, and enhance mutual understanding and friendship between peoples. Today, cross-border tourism had become a new economic engine for ASEAN-China tourism cooperation. Both sides should explore different development needs, innovate cooperation models, design new tourism products, and provide better-quality tourism services. She wished that the Forum would provide feasible advice and wise insights for deepening tourism cooperation for regional countries like ASEAN and China.
Mr. Chen Dong said that the National Tourism Administration of China supported Yunnan to build cross-border tourism cooperation area and would provide relevant support in visa, tariff, transport, information and security. It would also support Yunnan to establish a data centre and cross-border tourism transaction platform incorporating South Asian and Southeast Asian countries.
Tourism organization, companies and research institution representatives from China, Thailand, Laos, Viet Nam, and Australia exchanged views on cross-border tourism and cooperation between cities. The guests expressed their wishes for further communication in order to improve cooperation mechanism, expand cultural communication, and achieve win-win.
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