The More Security, The More Tourists

Attendants to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC) concluded the flow of tourists to the 21 member states will climb as long as security and safety for travelers are guaranteed.

The two-day meeting that gathered APEC Tourism Ministers in the Chilean city of Punta Arenas was marked by cruise rides down the austral canals of Chile’s Patagonia.

At the same time, participants weighed a number of contingency plans aimed at coping with potential disease outbreaks as a consequence of tourism growth.

Chile’s Trade Minister Jorge Rodriguez said the topics tackled by the attendants will go to the floor of the upcoming Summit of Heads of Government and State next November 20 and 21 in Santiago de Chile.

“We ought to match national security strategies within all APEC member states with the possibility of moving tourists and business travelers easily,” Mr. Rodriguez pointed out.

The Chilean high-ranking official explained that achieving those objectives takes the implementation of high-tech biometrical tools that provide immigration authorities with accurate information of passengers’ records and backgrounds.

The ministerial gathering was attended by delegations from Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, South Korea, United States, Philippines, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua Guinea, Peru, the People’s Republic of China, Russia, Singapore, Taipei, Thailand and Vietnam.