VIENTIANE, LAO PDR – The 27th Meeting of ASEAN Tourism Ministers, held from January 23 to 26, 2024, in Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic, concluded with a focus on enhancing collaboration for sustainable tourism. The meeting, which followed the 59th Meeting of the ASEAN National Tourism Organisations (NTOs), emphasized the need for closer cooperation among ASEAN Member States in various sectors to bolster the resiliency of ASEAN tourism.
According to Radio Television Brunei, the preliminary figures for 2023 indicated a significant increase in international arrivals to ASEAN countries, with a year-on-year growth of over 153%. Brunei Darussalam's delegation was led by Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Doctor Awang Haji Abdul Manaf bin Haji Metussin, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism. The meeting also acknowledged the ASEAN-China Centre, ASEAN-Japan Centre, and ASEAN-Korea Centre for their efforts in promoting people-to-people connectivity and cultural understanding. Additionally, the ASEAN-India Tourism Meeting and the ASEAN-Russian Federation Tourism Meeting were conducted. The ASEAN Tourism Standards Awards Ceremony saw Kuala Belait being recognized as the 4th ASEAN Clean Tourist City, with Brunei Darussalam receiving several other awards in various categories.