APEC Tourism Ministers To Meet Sept 22-23

APEC Tourism Ministers To Meet Sept 22-23

Singapore, September 16, 2010 - APEC Tourism Ministers meet in Nara, Japan, next week to address issues such as the importance of achieving sustained and balanced growth in the tourism industry in the Asia-Pacific region following the global financial crisis.

The 6th APEC Tourism Ministers' Meeting to be held September 22-23 will discuss collaboration between APEC, the private sector and multilateral organizations to strengthen the industry, which is a major engine for growth in the region.

The industry was hit by the global financial crisis with households cutting back on travel plans and businesses reducing travel budgets. But long-term prospects for the industry remain strong.

Tourism and travel are expected to contribute 9.1 percent of total Gross Domestic Product in the APEC region in 2010, increasing to 9.7 percent in 2020, according to research by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).

Tourism and travel are also expected to directly and indirectly employ 117 million people in the APEC region in 2010 and increase to 159 million by 2020 - or contribute 8.2 percent of total employment in 2010, increasing to 10.2 percent in 2020, according to the WTTC.

Ministers at the meeting are expected to address expansion of newer forms of tourism in the region, such as medical, sports and ecotourism, and the importance of preparations in the industry for a response to future emergencies, both man-made and natural. Other issues include meeting growing demand in the industry for a range of skilled workers.

Under the theme, "Tourism for Strategic Growth in the Asia-Pacific Region," the meeting will be chaired by Japan's Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Mr Seiji Maehara.

Ministers will provide an assessment of the tourism industry in their economy at the meeting, and will hear from international tourism organizations such as the APEC International Centre for Sustainable Tourism (AICST), the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and the WTTC.

Ministers will hold a press conference at the end of the meeting and release the "Nara Declaration on Tourism." The ministerial-level meeting will follow up on recommendations made by the APEC Tourism Working Group which meets in Nara on September 19-20.

A meeting of APEC Senior Officials will also take place in Sendai, Japan, from September 15-26. All meetings will provide valuable input to the work of developing APEC's Growth Strategy, which will be presented to APEC Leaders meeting in Yokohama, Japan in November this year.

ENDS

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