OPINION COLUMN-TOURISM | HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRIPE-VINE | My first ASEAN Tourism Forum

Last week, I had the privilege to fly to Cebu as an official media guest of the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2026; a major event that kicked off the yearlong hosting that the Philippines will be taking on for this year’s ASEAN-related meetings and conferences.

It was my baptism of fire to an ASEAN event — three days of attending opening ceremonies, the Travel Exchange (TRAVEX), panel discussions, the start of Ministerial meetings, and the ASEAN Tourism Standards Awards ceremony — and I fully appreciated the experience.

After all, I do observe how competitive ASEAN nations such as Thailand and Malaysia can be over who tops annual visitor arrivals; and it’s not like we can reasonably expect any one country to actively encourage their incoming tourists to leave, and spend time and money in a second ASEAN destination, as opposed to extending their stay in that first country.

Privately, I felt that cross-regional initiatives would be more lip service, than intentional and active cooperation.

But I was ready (and eager) to be proven wrong.

Make no mistake about it, ASEAN Tourism is a “game” of high stakes. In 2025, tourism across the member nations contributed to 9.4 percent of Regional Gross Domestic Product, representing $374 billion.

We are talking of 144 million international arrivals, and in terms of job generation, tourism accounted for 13.5 percent of regional jobs.

Any member nation would want to “own” a significant slice of that “pie;” as it can contribute substantially to national development and recovery.

Convened on Jan. 29, 2026, the 29th meeting of the ASEAN Tourism Ministers was held at the NUSTAR, under the able chairmanship of our Secretary of Tourism Christina G. Frasco.

While noting the progress achieved under the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan of 2016-2025, the meeting underscored the importance of implementing the new ASEAN Tourism Sectoral Plan (2026-2030) and the ASEAN Tourism Marketing Strategy (2026-2030) – in order to enhance ASEAN’s regional visibility, and guide collective actions, in the years ahead.

I liked this sentiment, the strident call to recognize that the time for planning and talking was done, and that given the sectoral plan and marketing strategy are in place, it was time to “implement, implement, implement.

” The plan and strategy would promote sustainable, inclusive, resilient, and quality tourism.

Measures would enhance connectivity, diversify tourism offerings, and strengthen marketing and promotional efforts.

The meeting also welcomed the initiative by the host country, the Philippines, to develop an ASEAN Sustainable and Resilient Outlook as a Priority Economic Deliverable in 2026.

This drive to prioritize Sustainability in Tourism was reinforced during the ASEAN Tourism Standards Awards ceremony.

There were Green Hotel Awards, Clean Tourist City Awards; and for the ASEAN MICE Venue Awards, there were categories such as Rural Sustainable Product, and Urban Sustainable Product.

Recognition was made for the diversity of new and innovative tourism products – they could be nature-based, cultural, gastronomy-related, or founded on wellness, adventure, and creative tourism.

Do you recall my casting doubts about true regional cooperation? I was super-pleased to learn that it can, and does, exist!

Commended during the meeting were the outcomes of the sub-regional cooperation that Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Vietnam have embarked on under the promotion “Three Countries, One Destination.

” In fact, in December 2025, in Phnom Penh, a promotional event was expanded to include Myanmar – as in a Cambodia-Lao PDR-Myanmar-Vietnam Foods Festival.

These events promote inter- and intra-regional tourist flow, and help unify ASEAN as a single tourist destination.

That these three countries share land borders was not lost on me; and I appreciated how Vietnam, ranking third among ASEAN nations in 2025 for visitor arrivals, is part of this pact; potentially helping raise the tourist arrivals for Lao PDR and for Cambodia.

I’d be curious to see what the figures for 2026 will be for these two countries as they continue this cooperation.

With our being an archipelagic country, we don’t have that opportunity.

Is it even possible to forecast a time when these three nations can promote a Schengen-type short stay visa system?

Thanking the Department of Tourism for this opportunity, and making me feel so welcome.