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In 2000, the APEC Tourism Charter, an important document, which provided long-term directions for the APEC tourism cooperation was adopted at the 1st APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting in Korea.
The APEC Ministerial Meeting is held every two years, with each Declaration expressing determination of APEC Tourism Leaders to make tourism become an important economic sector, a measure for exchanging culture, enhancing mutual understanding, promoting cooperation, and contributing to the maintenance of peace, stability, and development.
According to UN World Tourism Organization, the APEC region have attracted 415 million international tourists in 2016, representing an increase of 6.1%, equivalent to 24 million tourist arrivals compared to 2015. According to World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) tourism and travel industry in 2016 has made of USD 1.3 trillion in GDP of the APEC region, created 67 millionjobs (increase 3.7% compared to 2015) and 6.1% of the regional exports.
Viet Nam tourism in APEC tourism cooperation and the initiative of hosting the High level Policy Dialogue on Sustainable Tourism
In 2006, Viet Nam hosted the 4th APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting in Hoi An, which adopted the “Hoi An Declaration on the Promotion of APEC Tourism Cooperation”. Viet Nam has also regularly and actively participated in mostly all important activities of APEC tourism cooperation amd promoted bilateral cooperation with APEC member economies. To date, Viet Nam has exempted entry visas for 9 member economies and implemented electronic visas for three other economies, creating favorable conditions for travelers. In 2016, top ten source markets of Viet Nam are APEC member economies.
2017 has been chosen as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations General Assembly officially announced by World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in January 2017 in Madrid, Spain. Economies, organizations and individuals have actively organized activities to promote the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development all over the world.
The APEC High level Policy Dialogue on Sustainable Tourism is an initiative of Viet Nam in order to realise the APEC Strategy for Strengthening Quality Growth, to implement one of the four priorities of APEC cooperation in 2017 which is to promote sustainabne, innovative and inclusive growth, and is also a major contribution of APEC to the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development set by the United Nations.
The APEC High level Policy Dialogue on Sustainable Tourism is a milestone in APEC Viet Nam 2017, followed by the Technical Workshop on Sustainable Tourism, held during the first APEC Senior Officials Meeting (SOM 1) in February 2017 in Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa). This Dialogue will be held on 19 June, 2017 in Ha Long city, chaired by H.E. Nguyen Ngoc Thien, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, with the participation of about 150 delegates from APEC member economies, speakers from prestigious international organizations such as World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), International Air Traffic Association (IATA), International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), etc.
Organization of the APEC High level Policy Dialogue on Sustainable Tourism will a meaningful contribution to the formulation of policies for sustainable tourism development. Given that sustainable development is an important item in the agenda of world tourism forums in general and APEC region in particular, the Dialogue is an opportunity for economies to share experiences and to discuss measures to enhance the effectiveness of cooperation and integration in the region, especially in the field of sustainable tourism development.
It is expected that the Dialouge will adopt a document on Sustainable Tourism Development, which includes recommendations and specific directions for sustainable tourism development in the APEC region, including: (1) Incorporating sustainable tourism principles in all travel and tourism activities; (2) Promoting public-private partnerships to develop sustainable tourism infrastructure and services; (3) Encouraging demand and sustainable production in tourism sector; (4) Measuring and monitoring success of actions which promote sustainable tourism; (5) Conducting in-depth study to adapt and utilize new technologies to develop smart and sustainable tourism; (6) Establishing a common framework for joint actions in APEC to ensure sustainability of tourism and travel./.