ASEAN promotes multi-country Southeast Asia tour ideas

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) is promoting six experiential and creative travel themes to encourage multi-country trips across Southeast Asia, according to the news release from Asean Tourism.

Twenty tour operators are offering the following themes to tourists: “The Tastes of Southeast Asia,” “ASEAN, a Tropical Paradise,” “World Class Cities,” “Experience Diverse Traditions,” “Sport and Relaxation,” and “Diverse Contemporary Creativity.” These themes are part of the implementation of the Asean Tourism Marketing Strategy 2012-2015.

“Our new focus is on experiential and creative tourism that respects environment and culture,” Aung Zaw Win, director general of Myanmar Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, was quoted as saying in the news release.

“An authentic travel experience involves meaningful engagement with the heritage, arts and special character of our ASEAN destinations,” said Aung Zaw Win, who is also chairman of the ASEAN Tourism Product Development Working Group.

The cross-country trips include tour programs between Cambodia and Thailand, Laos and Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos, and Myanmar and China, according to the Asean tourism website.

The number of tourist arrivals in Asean countries has been on the rise. Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia are the most visited countries in Southeast Asia.

Myanmar is an emerging tourist destination in Southeast Asia, which has attracted over 1 million visitors last year.