The ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2025, was held with Malaysia as the ASEAN Chairman from 15th to 20th January in Johor Bahru under the theme “Unity in Motion: Shaping ASEAN Tourism Tomorrow”.
The forum focused on fostering sustainable, resilient, and inclusive tourism in Southeast Asia, reflecting our commitment to building a fair and sustainable ASEAN community. As the Chair, Malaysia is dedicated to incorporating environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive values across economic and social initiatives.
The theme highlighted collaboration among Member States to transform the region’s tourism industry and ASEAN’s cultural and physical connections and focuses on building a resilient, innovative, and sustainable tourism sector.
This aligns with Malaysia’s goal to make ASEAN a global leader in sustainable and inclusive tourism through partnerships and forward-thinking initiatives.
During ministerial sessions conducted at the DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru on 19th and 20th January 2025, the main goals were to advance sustainability, improve regional integration, and strengthen tourism cooperation.
The 28th Meeting of ASEAN Tourism Ministers (M-ATM)
The ASEAN Tourism Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan (ATSP) 2016-2025, with 70% of its activities completed.
Plans for the 2026–2030 ASEAN Tourism Strategy which prioritises resilience and sustainability, were discussed. ASEAN received more than 123 million tourists in 2024, a 30.6% rise from 2023. The introduction of the “ImaginASEAN Metaverse Game,” advancements in cruise travel, and the acceptance of the ASEAN Sustainable Event Management Standard are some of the major accomplishments.
The ASEAN Tourism Ministers emphasised the significance of enhancing crisis communication, encouraging sustainable tourism, and developing human resources.
Malaysia suggested utilising visitor data to standardise ASEAN Tourism Performance in order to get more precise and thorough data on their economic contributions. Additionally, Malaysia proposed the creation of an ASEAN-Australia Mechanism to improve ties between the two countries.
The 24th Meeting of ASEAN, China, Japan, and Republic of Korea Tourism Ministers (M-ATM+3)
The ASEAN Plus Three region saw over 190 million visitors in 2024, showing a strong recovery. About 70% of the APT Tourism Cooperation Work Plan 2021-2025 is complete.
China’s support of rural tourism, Japan’s encouragement of sustainability and resilience, and Korea’s contribution through the KOPIST Programme are important initiatives. The necessity of creating the 2026–2030 Work Plan with an emphasis on collaborative marketing and sustainable tourism was emphasised by the ministers.
The 12th Meeting of ASEAN-India Tourism Ministers (M-ATM+India)
The ASEAN-India partnership marked 2025 as the ASEAN-India Year of Tourism, strengthening cultural ties and connectivity.
India was recognised for its USD$5 million contribution to the ASEAN-India Tourism Work Plan 2023-2027. The topics of conversation included sustainable tourism, aviation and sea connections, and cruise tourism. Ministers emphasised the importance of community-based tourism and cultural heritage preservation.
The 4th Meeting of ASEAN-Russian Federation Tourism Ministers
Russia and ASEAN reaffirmed their dedication to closer tourist relations. They prioritised capacity-building, sustainability, and cultural exchange. Enhancing tourism education, exchanging best practices, and leveraging digital technologies to increase resilience are top priorities. Ministers emphasised the need of sharing knowledge and coming up with creative answers to new problems.
TRAVEX 2025
Persada Johor hosted the TRAVEX from January 15–17, 2025, which brought together 323 customers, 221 sellers, 221 exhibitors, and 100 members of the media. It demonstrated the tourism industry’s potential for recovery and expansion. Participants engaged in fruitful networking, idea exchange, and conversations to influence Southeast Asia’s tourism industry going forward.
“Malaysia, the ASEAN Chair, is happy to announce that the Philippines will host the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) in 2026 and assume the ASEAN Chairmanship. The Philippines’ thriving tourism industry and rich cultural heritage will help ASEAN further its tourism objectives and cooperation.” ASEAN in a joint-statement said.
“The ASEAN Tourism Forum 2025 highlights ASEAN as a strong and dynamic tourism destination.”
“The outcomes of these meetings and partnerships strengthen the region’s tourism, promote mutual understanding, and support sustainability.”
“Malaysia remains committed to working together for an inclusive and sustainable future for ASEAN tourism.”
