[Title] Joint Press Statement of the First Meeting of ASEAN and China, Japan and Korea Tourism Ministers

1. The Tourism Ministers from the ASEAN member countries, China, Japan and Korea had their inaugural meeting in Yogyakarta, Indonesia on 25 January 2002 during the occasion of the Royal ASEAN Tourism Forum 2002. H.E. Mr. I Gede Ardika, Minister of Culture and Tourism for Indonesia chaired the meeting.

2. The ASEAN+3 Tourism Ministers exchanged views on the major policies and developments in the tourism industry in ASEAN, China, Japan and Korea. The Ministers recognized that tourism cooperation in the ASEAN+3 framework would foster greater tourism exchange, social interaction and closer economic cohesion in East Asia. They viewed that the ASEAN+3 cooperation is very timely as there is now an urgent need for increased tourism in view of the global economic downturn and the drop in global tourism as an aftermath of the September 11th, 2001 tragedy in the United States.

3. The Ministers welcomed the ongoing efforts undertaken by the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMM-TC) pursuant to the ASEAN Declaration on Joint Action to Counter Terrorism adopted at the Seventh ASEAN Summit.

4. In the light of the expected surge of travel in East Asia, the Ministers agreed to convene a senior officials/experts meeting to work out a mechanism for the prompt exchange of information to enhance the safety and security of travelers.

5. The Ministers agreed that ASEAN+3 cooperation in the tourism sector would cover the following areas: (a) Facilitation of travel, including the abolition of travel barriers; (b) Tourism promotion between destinations in ASEAN and China, Japan and Republic of Korea; (c) Enhancement of private sector cooperation; (d) Joint programs on human resources development, as well as research and information technology; and (e) Investment promotion. The Ministers instructed their senior officials to work out and submit specific programs and activities for short term and long-term cooperation.

6. The ASEAN Tourism Ministers invited the travel trade sector from China, Japan and Korea to participate in the coming ASEAN Tourism Forum 2003 (ATF 2003) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

7. The Ministers agreed to convene future M-ATM+3 during the annual ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) and meetings in-between, as necessary, to be preceded by the meeting of the heads of their national tourism organizations (ASEAN NTOs+3).

The Meeting was held in spirit of cooperation, cordiality and solidarity.

List of ASEAN+3 Tourism Ministers:

a. H.E. Mr. Abdul Rahman Taib, Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, Brunei Darussalam;

b. H.E. Mr. Veng Sereyvuth, Senior Minister, Minister of Tourism, Cambodia;

c. H.E. Mr. Gang Sun, Vice Chairman, China National Tourism Administration, People's Republic of China;

d. H.E. Mr. I Gede Ardika, Minister of Culture and Tourism for Indonesia;

e. H.E. Mr. Jiro Hanyu, Vice-Minister for Transport and International Affairs, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Japan;

f. H.E. Mr. Oh Jicheol, Assistant Minister, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Republic of Korea;

g. H.E. Mr{sic} Cheng Sayavong, Vice-Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Chairman of the National Tourism Authority of Lao PDR;

h. H.E. Datuk Abdul Kadir Bin Haji Sheikh Fadzir, Minister of Culture, Arts and Tourism, Malaysia;

i. H.E. Major General Saw Lwin, Minister of Hotels and Tourism, Myanmar;

j. H.E. Mr. Richard J. Gordon, Secretary of Tourism, Philippine Department of Tourism;

k. H.E. Mr{sic} Raymond Lim, Minister of State for Trade and Industry, Singapore;

l. H.E. Mr. Somsak Thepsutin, Minister to the Prime Minister's Office and Chairman of the Tourism Authority of Thailand

m. H.E. Dr. Pham Tu, Vice Chairman of Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism, Viet Nam; and

n. H.E. Mr{sic} Rodolfo C. Severino, Jr., ASEAN Secretary-General.