Dr. Puvaneswaran Kunasekaran, Honorary Treasurer of ASEAN Tourism Research Association (ATRA) and Senior Lecturer from Taylor’s University, School of Hospitality, Tourism and Events recently attended the ASEAN National Tourism Organisations (NTOs) Meeting on behalf of ATRA at the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2020 (ATF) "Together Towards A Next Generation of Travel" held at The Empire Hotel, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei from 16th to 22nd January 2020. He presented on the significant role of ASEAN Tourism Research Association (ATRA) on contemporary tourism developments in the region and highlighted various grassroot tourism issues based on ATRA members' research activities to ASEAN Tourism Ministers and international delegates during the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2020. ATRA is an accredited Civil Society Organization (CSO) and officially recognized as a research wing for ASEAN for major policies, directives and decisions of ASEAN.
The 23rd Meeting of ASEAN Tourism Ministers (23rd M-ATM) was held on 16th January 2020 in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, in conjunction with the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2020 (ATF). H.E. Dato Ali Apong, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism of Brunei Darussalam chaired the Meeting, and H.E. Dr. Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism of the Kingdom of Cambodia, served as the Vice-Chairman. The 23rd M-ATM was preceded by the 51st Meeting of ASEAN National Tourism Organisations (NTOs) and other Senior Official Meetings with Dialogue Partners. Several prominent tourism organizations such as the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and ASEAN Tourism Research Association (ATRA) were invited to feed recent and relevant information about the industry to the Ministers and Heads of NTO of all the member countries.
Dr. Puvaneswaran Kunasekaran presented various research activities and the outcome. The pressing issue of over-tourism and sustainable development was highlighted. Several over-tourism cases in the region such as Boracay, Phuket, Bali, and Langkawi were highlighted. The participants of the Forum were agreeable to the suggestions of ATRA in venturing into AR/VR technologies in the region. The need to identify new tourism destinations is also needed to divert mass tourism crowd away from hot spots of the region. ATRA also stressed the need to create more niche tourism products in the region to cater to contemporary tourists.
Dr. Puvaneswaran Kunasekaranwas interviewed by TTG Asia on contemporary issues of Tourism in the ASEAN region. Great Recognition! https://epublishbyus.com/atf_2020_show_daily_day_2/10048968
