World enews: Thailand issues Chair’s Statement for the 11th APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting

Bangkok, 19 August, 2022 – H.E. Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Thailand’s Minister of Tourism and Sports, announced a Chair’s Statement for the 11^th APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting, which was held today in Bangkok.

“It is certainly an honour for the Ministry of Tourism and Sports to be the host of the 11^th APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting and the related meetings, especially during the year of Thailand’s chairmanship of APEC 2022 organised under the theme “Open. Connect. Balance.”

The 11^th APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting is the first time the APEC Tourism Ministers are able to meet since 2018 and this whole week is a demonstration of Thailand’s magical appeal that is able to attract foreign tourists and visitors from all over the world.

For this week’s meetings, we have welcomed approximately 200 delegates, including ministers and representatives, which could be considered as a grand success.

During the TMM11, the activities and initiatives under the APEC Tourism Strategic Plan 2020-2024 were reported to the Meeting, as well as discussions on APEC’s cooperation guidelines to accelerate tourism revitalisation in the post-COVID-19 era and the role of the tourism sector in promoting the well-being of the people in the region by focusing on and giving importance to accelerating the recovery of tourism.

We also exchanged experiences in promoting the recovery in each economy and discussed how to maintain tourism’s status as a sector that contributes to the benefit and well-being of the people of the APEC region.

Throughout the meeting, economies have negotiated the draft joint statement to the best of their ability and were able to reach consensus in every paragraph. Except for one paragraph. Thus, I will be issuing a Chair’s Statement.

However, we were able to reach a consensus for following the documents of the APEC Policy Recommendations on Tourism of the Future: Regenerative Tourism and the APEC Guidelines for Tourism Stakeholders. These two documents are the deliverables and APEC’s tourism cooperation this year. These achievements are all important steps for APEC in its progress towards achieving Vision Putrajaya 2040 and for us to keep working forward.

As the Chair of the 11^th APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting, I would like to extend my sincerest thanks and appreciation to the APEC Tourism Ministers and representatives, the APEC Secretariat Executive Director, heads of the APEC TWG, delegates, and everyone who attended, including all the relevant departments and agencies of Thailand, the Host econom,y who have cooperated and executed their duties together successfully until the very end of these meetings.

I really hope that results from this meeting will reflect our unwavering determination to continue our commitment to APEC’s working aspirations.

To achieve success according to ” Vision Puttrajaya 2040″ for the future of APEC that is prosperous, open, dynamic, resilient, peaceful and most importantly, for the well-being of the people of APEC this generation and the next.

Thailand’s deliverables from the presentation of this concept can be the starting point for creating tourism policies that build on the sustainable tourism concept to help revive the tourism sector that was severely affected by COVID19, and to maintain resources in Thailand’s tourist destinations to be sustainable.

Thus, providing the opportunity for people in the local communities to participate in an inclusive distribution of income, initiating a system for villagers to have a career that can be self-reliant, and enjoy the benefits of the local community as a host in every tourist attraction.

This can make the people in the community satisfied with the growth of tourism by the people in the community benefiting in the way they see fit. Whether it will be increased income or a better environment and restoration of the traditional lifestyle.

This push for sustainable tourism will be shared among the APEC members, not only on regional connectivity issues, especially intra-travel and tourism, but also to promote sustainable and inclusive growth. With the aim to balance the economy, environment, and society under the theme of APEC Thailand’s this “Open. Connect. Balance”.

All photos courtesy of Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports.