SPEECH BY SENIOR MINISTER GOH CHOK TONG AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE ASEAN TOURISM FORUM (ATF) 2007, 30 JANUARY 2007, 8.00PM AT SWISSOTEL THE STAMFORD
Embracing ASEAN’s Past and
Together Shaping the Region’s Future
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
1 A warm welcome to Singapore. We are doubly delighted to host this year’s ASEAN Tourism Forum, as it coincides with ASEAN’s 40th Anniversary.
Our Rich Common Heritage
2 A 15th Century traveller transported through time to today’s Southeast Asia would marvel at its renaissance. Well before Marco Polo’s travels to Asia became famous in the West, Southeast Asia was already the centre of a thriving commercial emporium.
3 China’s Ming Emperor, Yong Le (永乐), dispatched Admiral Zheng He (郑和) on a series of voyages that took him to Southeast Asia, the Arabian Peninsula and Africa, where Zheng He brought exotic animals, including giraffes, back to China.
4 By then, Indian and Arab merchants were already using well-established overland and trade routes in Southeast Asia. Arab dhows, Chinese junks and European galleons sailed the Spice Route laden with exotic spices like cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg and other precious commodities.
5 With trade and travel, other exchanges followed. Both the Silk Road and Spice Route became major conduits for the flow of people, ideas and religious beliefs between Asia and Europe. The Chinese monk Xuanzang’s玄奘 epic journey in 7th Century AD from China to India along the Silk Road, during which he studied at Nalanda, India’s famed centre for Buddhist learning, is one famous example. By the time of Xuanzang’s travels, Buddhism and Hinduism were already well-entrenched in Southeast Asia. Later, in the 13th Century, Muslim traders brought Islam. Christianity arrived three centuries later, spread by Catholic missionaries.
6 Southeast Asia’s rich cultural diversity today therefore reflects its long and fruitful history of interaction with the Chinese, Indian, European and Arabic cultures. In no other region in the world can a traveller find such a diverse and comfortable mix of religions, cultures and cuisines. This is our common heritage. This is also the unique strength of ASEAN, a strength we should build upon in promoting tourism.
7 The theme for this year’s ASEAN Tourism Forum - “Embracing ASEAN’s Past and Together Shaping the Region’s Future” – is timely. ASEAN is at the cusp of change. This forum is an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas on how we can adapt to trends in the region and beyond, and how we can together grow ASEAN tourism.
Leveraging on the Re-emergence of China and India
8 China is transforming the economic and strategic landscape in Asia, and India is quickening that transformation. Together, they will drive Asia’s growth in the coming years. ASEAN is strategically positioned between the two giants to ride this growth, as we had done centuries before.
9 In 2005, ASEAN's total trade with China and India hit US$113 billion and US$22 billion respectively, which marked big increases over previous years.
10 But increased trade with China and India is just one chapter of the story. As a manufacturing powerhouse, China has spawned a whole range of supply chains across the region. India will, in time, also become a global manufacturing base for exports. As business links multiply, there will be greater demand for services relating to Business Travel, Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions or in short BTMICE.
11 China and India are huge tourist markets, with outbound tourist numbers growing in double digits. For several ASEAN countries, China is already the biggest tourist source. India will become another big tourist source. Together, China and India form 40% of the world’s total population. With a growing middle class and rising disposable income, China and India have the greatest potential to fuel the growth of ASEAN’s tourism industry. ASEAN must find ways to tap this potential.
12 In addition, as China and India develop and build up their tourism infrastructure, they will themselves draw in tourists from all over the world. With their ancient civilisations and interesting historical sites, China and India have many attractions. Tourism in Asia will be a huge growth industry. According to the World Tourism Organisation, the global tourism sector will continue to grow steadily at 4% annually and by 2020, there could be an additional 1.6 billion tourists, many of them Asians.
Promoting ASEAN Tourism
13 How does ASEAN position itself to tap this huge and expanding market? How do we enhance our attractiveness to tourists from China, India, the Middle East and indeed the world? To do so, we in ASEAN must continue to accelerate our integration as an ASEAN Community and strengthen the ASEAN global brand.
14 The recently-concluded ASEAN Summit in Cebu was an important milestone on the road to ASEAN integration. ASEAN leaders affirmed their strong commitment to realise an ASEAN Community when they advanced the target date from 2020 to 2015. ASEAN leaders also welcomed the interest by leaders from extra-regional countries to work with ASEAN to build a vibrant and prosperous East Asian community.
15 ASEAN has identified tourism as a priority sector for economic integration. In 2005, tourist arrivals in ASEAN reached over 51 million, almost a 5% increase from 2004. Today, ASEAN is in the process of seeing through various initiatives to grow tourist numbers, such as a single-visa regime and joint marketing campaigns.
16 To woo tourists, increasing connectivity is critical. In particular, we need good, reliable and affordable air connections within ASEAN, and between ASEAN and the rest of the world. The President of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) hit the nail on the head when he observed: “Last year, 31 million Chinese travelled abroad, yet only 35,000 came to India. Poor connectivity is the reason for this. We need more flights, we need to issue more multi-entry visas so tourists can also hop across to Buddhist sites in Nepal and Sri Lanka, and we need to improve our infrastructure.” (The Straits Times, 29 January 2007, page 10). He was commenting on a study released by FICCI regarding India’s potential for Buddhism-related tourism.
17 Budget airlines will increase connectivity. Within just a few years of their arrival, the cost of travel has come down, especially for those sectors where air services have been liberalised. Air travel is expanding into the mass market. It is no longer a luxury for the rich. This will drive the growth of travel and tourism.
18 The opening up of more air routes within ASEAN will boost tourism. ASEAN has already agreed to implement open skies for capital-to-capital flights by the end of 2008. My view is that ASEAN should be bolder in opening its skies if it wants to stimulate the growth of tourism and derive maximum benefits from the industry. I know that some countries are hesitant in doing so. Understandably, they want to protect their national airlines. Nevertheless, freer skies within ASEAN and between ASEAN and key countries will not only boost ASEAN’s tourism industry but have many positive multiplier effects on our respective economies. The Open Skies regimes in other regions like Europe provide ample evidence of this. China has been liberalising its aviation sector, while India is starting to do so. ASEAN should not fall behind. I hope that ASEAN will have full Open Skies well before it celebrates its 50th anniversary. It is good that ASEAN is planning to conclude Open Skies Agreements with China and India and I hope that these can also be achieved in the near future.
19 As connectivity within Southeast Asia increases, we have to brand and market the allure of ASEAN as a single destination. ASEAN offers the traveller a very diverse experience in language, culture and religion, all within a few hours of each other.
20 In terms of building a unique global ASEAN brand, we have achieved some results, with activities under the Visit ASEAN Campaign and signing of the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Visa Exemption. But more needs to be done. By showcasing the richness the region has to offer, the warmth and graciousness of our peoples and our tropical flora and fauna, we can certainly attract tourists to visit the ASEAN countries as a single destination.
21 But we should not neglect intra-ASEAN tourism. With a combined population of 530 million and GDP of US$670 billion, ASEAN is not a small market for intra-ASEAN tourism. In fact, in 2005, travel within ASEAN contributed 23 million visitors or 45% of total tourist arrivals. ASEAN countries must continue to promote ourselves as destinations to one another, the same way we do to the rest of the world.
22 One area we can focus on is youth tourism, which has the potential to be a key driver of growth for intra-ASEAN travel. With growing affluence, rising educational levels and affordable means of travel, our youths want to venture out and experience different lifestyles. Singapore and Malaysia have taken the first steps in encouraging intra-ASEAN youth tourism by launching a month-long promotion last August, where youths were allowed complimentary admission to various attractions in each other’s countries. Apart from economic benefits, youth travel within the region enables the next generation of ASEAN citizens to build deeper bonds with each other.
Some Challenges Ahead
23 Looking ahead, there remain some challenges in the area of ASEAN tourism co-operation.
24 One, ASEAN must press ahead to open up new air routes and increase air capacities to make travel more convenient and affordable.
25 Two, we also need to sustain our efforts in jointly marketing an ASEAN brand through the Visit ASEAN Campaign.
26 Three, we should engage our dialogue partners like China, Japan, Korea and India, in tourism co-operation as tourism is not a zero-sum game but a huge growth industry.
27 The fourth key challenge is dealing with transnational issues. Some of us have suffered and learnt hard lessons from SARs and the tsunami tragedy. These and many other challenges like terrorism, haze and avian flu respect no national boundaries. These cross-border challenges have an impact on travel into the region and our global ASEAN tourism brand. The only way to be on top of these problems is close regional coordination and collaboration. ASEAN has set up a joint task force to help its members coordinate communication when a cross-border crisis erupts so as to ensure that accurate and timely information is shared with the rest of the world. We must remain vigilant and if we cannot completely eliminate these challenges, then we should at least work quickly together to minimise their impact on our economies.
Conclusion
28 Promoting ASEAN tourism requires commitment, hard work and shared resolve. Events like the ASEAN Tourism Forum can help raise awareness and generate new ideas. By building upon our common heritage and the unity in our diversity, we can grow ASEAN tourism together.
29 Before concluding, I should mention that Singapore is honoured to be taking over the Chairmanship of ASEAN this August, during ASEAN’s 40th Anniversary. We look forward to working with all our friends to ensure a successful ASEAN Summit.
30 I understand that you have had fruitful meetings over the last few days. I wish all of you an enjoyable evening and a memorable stay in Singapore. Be a tourist in Singapore!
Thank you.
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