Visit ASEAN@50: Golden Celebration campaign pre-launch at ITB-Berlin 2016

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, by the founding fathers of the original ASEAN countries; namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. The nations of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Viet Nam have since joined this regional grouping.
 

Next year in 2017, ASEAN will reach its 50th anniversary since formation. In celebration of this remarkable milestone, the ten ASEAN national tourism organisations have jointly developed a tourism programme under the campaign theme “Visit ASEAN@50: Golden Celebration” with the objectives of commemorating the 50th anniversary of ASEAN and embracing ASEAN as a single and united tourism destination. Visit ASEAN@50: Golden Celebration will highlight ASEAN’s best 50 festivals and 50 most unforgettable travel experiences, whereby visitors will enjoy a wide range of ASEAN tourism products through diverse destinations, culinary, events, and engagements with local communities.
 

Special offers and travel promotions in affiliation with partners will be rolled out for travellers to enjoy the richness of cultural, heritage, nature, and to feel the warmth of ASEAN hospitality, at the value deal. Targeting major regional and long-haul source markets – such as: China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, UK, Germany, Russia, the UAE, USA and Canada.
 

Visit ASEAN@50: Golden Celebration hopes to: 

1. Achieve 121 million international visitor arrivals to the region by the end of 2017;

2. Increase tourism receipts to USD 83 billion; and

3. Extend tourist visitations’ average length of stay to 6-7 days, and to more than 2 ASEAN countries.
 

The official pre-launch of the Visit ASEAN@50: Golden Celebration campaign was presided over by ASEAN Tourism Ministers and Leaders at ITB Berlin on 10 March 2016, Thursday, 10:30-11:30 am, at the Malaysia pavilion number 121 in Hall 26A. Thereafter, there will be two days of ASEAN cultural performances to ITB Berlin’s public audiences on 12 and 13 March 2016, Friday & Saturday, at Thailand pavilion number 221 in Hall 26B.