The 3rd ASEAN-Russia Tourism Ministers' Meeting focuses on strengthening cultural and tourism exchanges, including strengthening cooperation, improving visa policies, and various promotional activities to increase visitor engagement.
3rd meeting Minister of Tourism of ASEAN and the Russian Federationwill be held during the period of ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2024 January 26th marked an important step in strengthening tourism and cultural cooperation between ASEAN countries and the Russian Federation. will be chaired by Mr. Nguyen Trung KhanhChairman of the Vietnam National Tourism Authority (VNAT) said the meeting represented a concerted effort to strengthen visitor exchanges and mutual understanding.
VNAT Chairman Nguyen Trung Khanh led the Vietnamese delegation to the meeting (Photo: TITC)
Main areas of cooperation
under ASEAN-Russia Tourism Work Plan 2022-2024both regions are actively working in five key areas:
Tourism promotion cooperation: Joint efforts aimed at marketing and promotion of tourist destinations.
Skill development program: Efforts to strengthen the tourism capacity of ASEAN and Russia.
Safety and security of tourism: We guarantee a safe travel experience.
Travel facilitation: Streamline the travel process between ASEAN and Russia.
Sustainable and inclusive tourism: Promoting responsible tourism practices.
VNAT Chairman Nguyen Trung Khanh speaking at the meeting (Photo: TITC)
New initiatives and policy changes
The conference introduced the “Explore” project, which promotes thematic connections and “new” destinations in ASEAN and Russia. This initiative aims to diversify tourism services and introduce lesser-known places.
In particular, Vietnam introduced a new visa policy from August 2023, extending the visa exemption period for Russian tourists by 45 days and the visa exemption period for e-visa applicants by up to 90 days. This policy is expected to significantly increase the arrival of Russian tourists to Vietnam and ASEAN.
ASEAN strengthens cooperation in cultural and tourism exchanges and expands tourist exchanges with the Russian Federation (Photo: TITC)
Proposal for diversification
Mr. Nguyen Trung Khanh emphasized the need for more diverse and regular tourism cooperation activities between ASEAN and Russia. His proposals included organizing cultural tourism festivals, conferences and cultural exchange programs beyond the current focus on Russian language training courses.
Increasing ASEAN presence in Russia
The VNAT Chairman also proposed expanding ASEAN's participation in major Russian tourism events and promoting ASEAN tourism through Russian media channels. This includes creating Russian-language content and video clips to more effectively reach Russian audiences.
Number of visitors and future outlook
Despite the challenges of the pandemic, Southeast Asia remains a preferred destination for Russian tourists. Statistics show that the number of Russian tourists to ASEAN member states is very high, indicating that ASEAN tourists' interest in Russia is increasing.
The conference endorsed a proposal for a new project aimed at expanding business connections through Russian language training and experience exchange for tourism professionals. The project aims to improve professional skills and promote business cooperation between Russian and ASEAN tourism enterprises.
Tourism delegation of the Russian Federation attended the meeting (Photo: TITC)
The 3rd ASEAN-Russian Federation Tourism Ministers' Meeting laid a solid foundation for future growth and cooperation in the tourism sector. The initiatives and proposals discussed are aimed at building a more dynamic, diverse and mutually beneficial relationship between ASEAN and Russia in the fields of tourism and cultural exchange. These developments will significantly boost tourism activities and cultural understanding in both regions.
Theodore is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of the TravelDailyNews media network. His responsibilities include business development and long-term opportunity planning for TravelDailyNews.
