Cambodia to Host ASEAN Tourism Forum 2011

This year’s ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) TRAVEX (Travel Exchange) 2011 registered an overwhelming response, with over 500 exhibition booths fully sold by the end of October 2010. All 10 member-nations will be represented at this annual leisure travel trade event which showcases the largest contingent of Association of Southeast Asian Nation’s (ASEAN) destination products and services.

While some 1,000 buyers have registered their interest to source at the event, only 400 have been selected to attend under a privileged hosting program. Buyer profile this year includes delegates from Asia-Pacific (55 percent), Europe (37 percent) and the rest of the world. A total of 1,600 delegates are expected at this year’s ATF 2011.

ATF 2011 marks the event’s 30th anniversary. ASEAN member-nation Cambodia will host ATF 2011 in Phnom Penh from Jan. 15 to 21. ATF TRAVEX, the three-day travel trade mart component of the event, will take place from Jan. 19 to 21 at the Diamond Island Convention & Exhibition Centre. Business appointments and meetings which encompass the majority of delegates’ schedules over the three days are just some of the many highlights that ATF 2011 will offer.

ASEAN Tourism Conference (ATC) -- the educational front of ATF -- will feature topics such as ecotourism and sustainable tourism in the ASEAN region as well as managing tourism in destinations which are home to Heritage Sites. Invited speakers hail from global institutions such as United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Global Sustainable Tourism Council and will engage the audience through thought-provoking sessions and interactive panel discussions on key issues in ASEAN tourism today.

Pre-show city tours of Phnom Penh and post-show tours to popular Cambodian destinations such as Siem Reap, Preah Sihanouk and Koh Kong are also available to hosted buyers and media delegates. The event will also be the opportunity for the Third Meeting of the 6 GMS Ministers of Tourism, who will discuss the endorsement of the GMS Tourism Sector Strategy midterm review presented by MTCO with a new road map for 2011-16.