The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) seeks to sustain practical collaboration with Russia to promote frictionless travel and tourism growth in the region.
Speaking at the 16th ASEAN–Russia Tourism Consultation on Tuesday, 27th January, in Cebu City, Philippine tourism undersecretary Verna Buensuceso said ASEAN is aiming to build an inclusive and resilient tourism sector.
Buensuceso remarked: “We value the Russian Federation as a long-standing partner of ASEAN in strengthening people-to-people exchanges. And this partnership matters because it is grounded on shared aspirations: tourism that is resilient in the face of disruption, inclusive in the opportunities it creates, rooted in respect for culture, heritage and nature, and a force for peace and international understanding.”
The undersecretary added that ASEAN is keen to pursue cooperation that boosts traveler confidence and safety, supports workforce development and skills exchange, and improves connectivity to make travel more accessible and seamless.
She also proposed further collaboration through digital marketing as well as sharing of travel-related data and best practices.
Seeking a full recovery
For his part, Igor Maksimov, deputy director of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, expressed hopes for the full-recovery of two-way tourism.
Four years after the pandemic, Maksimov said tourism flow between Russia and ASEAN states has steadily recovered by 93 percent.
He said: "And the figure keeps growing. In this regard, the adoption of a new joint work plan until 2030 seems to be a good step to developing a commercially beneficial partnership.”
