ASEAN tourism ministers have agreed to review the 2002 Tourism Agreement, with priorities including digitalisation, sustainability, connectivity, resilience and Timor-Leste’s integration.
ASEAN tourism ministers have agreed to review and update the 2002 ASEAN Tourism Agreement as the regional bloc implements its tourism framework for 2026–2030. The decision was discussed at the 2nd ASEAN Tourism Ministers’ Retreat in Manila on September 29.
The review will address changes in the regional tourism environment, with priorities including digital transformation, sustainability, improved connectivity and changing traveller expectations. ASEAN National Tourism Organisations will lead the review process.
The 2002 ASEAN Tourism Agreement, signed in Phnom Penh on November 4, 2002, provides the framework for cooperation among ASEAN member states on areas including intra-ASEAN and international travel facilitation, tourism quality, traveller safety and security, joint marketing and promotion, and tourism and travel industry workforce development.
Malaysia has called for the updated agreement to place greater emphasis on digitalisation and governance, sustainability and climate change, crisis management, existing ASEAN tourism roadmaps and the integration of Timor-Leste.
Ministers also discussed measures to increase intra-ASEAN travel and promote second- and third-tier destinations as part of efforts to diversify tourism markets and reduce reliance on long-haul visitors. The discussions took place against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions and volatility in global energy markets, which have affected aviation fuel prices, transport costs and tourism competitiveness in the region.
The ministers also considered the ASEAN Sustainable and Resilient Tourism Investment Outlook, developed with support from the Asian Development Bank. The initiative is intended to support tourism investment, including in secondary cities, emerging tourism hubs and green infrastructure.
Alongside the policy review, the Philippines is leading the development of an ASEAN Tourism Intelligence System. The initiative includes a regional tourism data dashboard and analytical tools designed to support evidence-based policymaking and strengthen the use of tourism statistics across the region.
Malaysia and the Philippines are co-leading ASEAN Tourism Intelligence under the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan 2026–2030, with the initiative focused on strengthening regional tourism data, shared insights and evidence-based decision-making.
The tourism agreement review forms part of the implementation of the ASEAN Tourism Sectoral Plan 2026–2030, which was launched earlier this year. The plan identifies five priorities: crisis resilience, tourism workforce development, seamless travel, digital transformation, and product and market diversification alongside sustainability.
ASEAN’s tourism ministers had previously agreed to promote the region as a single destination while supporting greater connectivity and market diversification. The 2026–2030 framework also calls for increased intra-ASEAN travel and investment opportunities.
At the Manila retreat and the accompanying ASEAN Tourism Investment Showcase, ministers and development partners also discussed shifting the focus of tourism investment toward sustainable and resilient destinations and infrastructure. The Philippines urged ASEAN members to develop tourism sites as investment-ready opportunities while considering benefits for local communities.
Sustainabletourism initiatives
The ASEAN tourism sector recorded approximately 144 million international visitor arrivals in 2025, according to figures presented at the ASEAN Tourism Ministers’ Meeting in January 2026. The figure was above the region’s 2019 pre-pandemic total of 143.6 million arrivals.
The review of the 2002 ASEAN Tourism Agreement is expected to feed into the implementation of the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan 2026–2030 and the bloc’s wider tourism cooperation framework.