ASEAN promotes travel experiences
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The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has embarked on a new tourism promotion strategy that will see it concentrate on developing more authentic travel experiences.
The regional bloc revealed that it plans to promote six “experiential and creative travel themes” in an effort to encourage multi-country trips across Southeast Asia.
Forming part of broader ASEAN Tourism Marketing Strategy 2012-2015, the six themes are ‘The Tastes of Southeast Asia’, ‘ASEAN, a Tropical Paradise,’, ‘World Class Cities’, ‘Experience Diverse Traditions’, ‘Sport and Relaxation’, and ‘Diverse Contemporary Creativity’.
To drive these theses, ASEAN has teamed up with 20 tour operators to offer multi-country itineraries across the region. These are now available on the ASEAN travel website, aseantourism.travel, and the group said that more trips will be added in future.
“Our new focus is on experiential and creative tourism that respects environment and culture,” said Aung Zaw Win, chairman of the ASEAN Tourism product development working group. “An authentic travel experience involves meaningful engagement with the heritage, arts and special character of our ASEAN destinations.”
Win also urged tour operators in ASEAN countries to develop more multi-country packages targeting the rising number of travellers wanting authentic tourism experiences.
“Today’s travellers are more sophisticated and interested in unique experiences with immersion in local ways of life,” he said. “Our role is to therefore support multi-country experiential travel within ASEAN member states.”
ASEAN has also compiled a series of features on a range of themes, including the region’s beaches, nature, heritage, volunteering, food and drink, wellness, sports and religious tourism, which are also now available on the bloc’s website.
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