Another initiative concerns the opening of direct flights linking World Heritage sites and facilitating travel among APEC member nations.

These initiatives will be tabled for discussion during the APEC Tourism Ministers Meeting, to be held within a week from October 12, where a declaration on tourism promotion among member economies is expected. They have garnered support from many member economies at tourism working groups and senior official meetings.

Hoi An will host 21 APEC tourism ministers as well as officials from international tourism organisations, who are expected to discuss tourist security and safety, tourism development policies, sustainable tourism, infrastructure development, ease of travel and protection of cultural values.

The Hoi An Declaration will be announced after the meetings and will reaffirm determination to promote tourism among APEC members, according to Pham Quang Hung, head of the International Relations Department under the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT),

The declaration is supposed to include Vietnam’s initiatives on tourism development among APEC economies as well as a Japanese proposal to promote exchanges among young people and cities within the region, he said.

Vietnam will take advantage of the meetings to showcase its tourism to international guests and media representatives, said Pham Huu Minh, director of VNAT’s Tourism Promotion Department. The VNAT will cooperate with hotels and authorities in Quang Nam province to hold Vietnam’s tourism exhibition, APEC tourism fair, and Vietnam Cultural Night in Hoi An.

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