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2006 APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting

Hoi An, Viet Nam | 16 October 2006

  1. We, APEC Tourism Ministers from Australia; Brunei Darussalam; Canada; Chile; the People's Republic of China; Hong Kong, China; the Republic of Indonesia; Japan; the Republic of Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Peru; the Republic of the Philippines; the Russian Federation; Singapore; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; the United States of America, and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, attended the 4th APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting in Hoi An, Quang Nam from 15 - 17 October 2006 within the framework of APEC Viet Nam 2006. The meeting under the theme of "Promoting APEC Tourism Cooperation for Common Prosperity" was chaired by the Hon. Madame Vo Thi Thang, Chairperson of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.
  2. Also present at the meeting were the Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat as well as distinguished observer the Secretary General of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).
  3. The meeting warmly welcomed His Excellency Mr. Pham Gia Khiem, Deputy Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, to attend and deliver a keynote speech at the Inaugural Ceremony.
  4. The Meeting took place in the spirit of cordiality, friendship, co-operation and mutual understanding. The Meeting focused its deliberations on a number of prioritized issues for further strengthening of APEC Tourism Cooperation; and
    Ministers:
  5. WELCOMED the decisions of APEC Leaders in recognizing tourism as one of the prioritized areas for regional co-operation. Tourism is playing an ever-greater role in boosting socio-economic development, contributing to poverty reduction and hunger elimination, raising awareness of the importance of respect and the preservation of the natural environment, creating more jobs for local communities, enhancing communities' participation, exchange of cultural heritage and bridging the gaps through mutual friendship among APEC member economies and other affiliate members for the world peace and harmony.
  6. RECOGNIZED the Seoul Declaration on an APEC Tourism Charter adopted at the 1st Tourism Ministerial Meeting, held in Seoul, the Republic of Korea in 2000, as a solid foundation and an important orientation for future tourism co-operation in the region. The implementation of recent projects have made remarkable contributions to socio-economic growth, the preservation and incorporation of cultural values as well as the protection of tourism resources in the member economies.
  7. ACKNOWLEDGED that in the current background the theme of "Promoting APEC Tourism Cooperation for Common Prosperity" adopted at the 4th APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting is of great significance and relevance. It ushers in a new perspective for APEC tourism cooperation by encouraging member economies to further intensify both bilateral and multilateral cooperation in such areas as training and human resource development in tourism; standardizing tourism services and occupational skills; harmonizing procedures for travel facilitation, which aim for the early realization of the policy goals of the APEC Tourism Charter in particular and Bogor Goals in general; and striving for a community based on the shared vision of achieving stability, security and prosperity.
  8. APPRECIATED the efforts and work done by the APEC Tourism Working Group (TWG) towards realizing the four policy goals of the APEC Tourism Charter, which have been clearly reflected in fulfiling the attainments of ongoing projects such as the Tourism Impediments Study Stage 3; Best Practices in Sustainable Tourism Management Initiatives for APEC Economies; the Strengthening of Safety and Security Best Practices Against Terrorism for Sustainable Tourism Development; the Application of Electronic Commerce to Small & Medium Tourism Enterprises in APEC member economies; the APEC Sustainable Tourism Monitoring Initiative; Best Practices on Development of Tourism Satellite Accounts; and the APEC Tourism Occupational Skills Standards.
  9. NOTED significant progress on the TWG "Independent Assessment" which will review the awareness and relevance of TWG's goals and activities; and identify mechanism to focus TWG's strategic priorities and future directions. Noted the resolve of the TWG to respond to the findings of the Independent Assessment to improve the operations of the Group.
  10. NOTED that TWG reaffirmed its role as an independent APEC Forum with a strong focus on facilitating tourism as an important driver of economic and social development.
  11. APPRECIATED initiatives aimed at materializing the priorities set for APEC tourism co-operation, these include measures to:
  12. Encourage holding, on a voluntary basis, the APEC Tourism Fair back-to-back with important APEC events in order to ably create unique and specific branding of APEC tourism, which would help optimize the use of valuable and diversified tourism assets and resources, promotions of inter and intra APEC tourism flows as well as to increase APEC's share in the world tourism market.
  13. Encourage the hosting of the APEC Tourism Investment Forum, on a voluntary basis, on the sidelines of the APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting to create favorable avenues and opportunities for business matching and promotion of investments in tourism infrastructure within APEC member economies for the benefits of both the investors and local communities.
  14. Encourage the undertaking of travel facilitation measures for tourists by studying the possibility for tour packages and new direct air linkages among cultural heritage sites and major tourism destinations in member economies in order to further promote tourist flows into and within APEC region.
  15. Organize joint activities for youth exchange as well as sister cities' cooperation with a view to enhancing mutual understanding and nurturing appreciation for the cultural values, customs and traditions of member economies, hence creating a firm foundation and the pre-conditions for regional tourism development.
  16. REAFFIRMED the application of the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) as an important and efficient tool in measuring the contribution of tourism to economic growth and encouraging APEC member economies to soon adopt the TSA approach for the harmonization of common tourism benchmarking in the APEC region. This will create a clearer overview of the important role of tourism for the prosperity of the whole APEC region. In the meantime, in order to achieve these objectives, member economies are encouraged, among other things, to increase the regular exchange of updated information concerning management and development in tourism.
  17. ENCOURAGED the TWG to identify impediments to growth of travel and tourism and develop policies that foster the development of a positive business climate.
  18. ENCOURAGED smart public - private partnerships in tourism development, especially in the fields of infrastructure investment, human resource development, the improvement of quality tourism products and services, tourism marketing and promotion, and the protection of tourism resources for the sustainability of tourism development in each member economy and the APEC region as a whole.
  19. ENCOURAGED Tourism Organizations of APEC member economies to proactively share information and closely collaborate with regional and international mass media. This is especially important in providing timely, accurate, transparent and unbiased information on tourism-related crisis i.e. natural disasters, diseases, terrorism, etc. that may have occurred in any APEC member economy. This approach is required in order to work out efficient and responsive solutions to avoid and minimize the negative impacts on tourist concerns as well as to maintain the well-established image and branding of APEC tourism.
  20. URGED that closer collaboration be further strengthened between the APEC Tourism Working Group with other fora, including the APEC Working Group on Small and Medium Enterprises, the Working Group on Trade Promotion, the Working Group on Human Resources Development, the Sub-committee on Customs Procedure, the Health Task Force, the Counter Terrorism Task Force and other concerned working groups, such as the Gender Focal Point Network and the Women Leaders Network, in order to reinforce the effectiveness of cooperation and help sustain the development of tourism in the region.
  21. APPRECIATED the efforts and achievements of the APEC International Centre for Sustainable Tourism (AICST) which was established following endorsement at the 2nd Tourism Ministerial Meeting in Mexico in 2002. Of particular note is the past and current work on risk management in tourism; the promotion and application of improved management practices for sustainable tourism; and the formation of partnership with world and regional tourism organizations to achieve common and consistent outcomes in line with the APEC Tourism Charter.
  22. ACKNOWLEDGED AND APPRECIATED the valuable support of regional and international organizations, particularly that from specialized tourism bodies. At the same time, calling on these agencies to continue supporting and providing more technical assistance for the common cause of tourism development in APEC member economies. We are very delighted and warmly welcome the participation and active contributions of the following distinguished representatives from regional and international tourism organizations at the 4th APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting as follows:
  23. World Tourism Organization (UNWTO);
  24. World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC);
  25. Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA);
  26. APEC International Centre on Sustainable Tourism (AICST).
  27. We would like to extend our sincere thanks and high appreciation for the tremendous efforts, and the warm reception and hospitality accorded by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, the Provincial People's Committee of Quang Nam, the People's Committee of Hoi An as well as the incessant efforts and worthwhile contributions made by APEC Tourism Working Group, and the APEC Secretariat towards the great success of the Meeting.