Members of the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) are expected to present a roadmap for sustainable tourism at the end of a high-level policy dialogue held on June 19 in the northeastern province of Quảng Ninh. — Photo VGP

HÀ NỘI — Members of the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) are expected to present a roadmap for sustainable tourism at the end of a high-level policy dialogue held on June 19 in the northeastern province of Quảng Ninh.

The joint declaration will include proposals and directions for future development in the region.

Monday’s event, part of the APEC Year 2017 in Việt Nam, is expected to be attended by more than 150 delegates from 18 APEC member economies as well as speakers from international organisations including the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), International Air Transport Association and International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Speaking at a press conference in Hà Nội on Thursday ahead of the upcoming APEC High-level Policy Dialogue on Sustainable Tourism, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Huỳnh Vĩnh Ái said that the joint declaration would focus on integrating the principles of sustainable tourism in all travel and tourism activities.

It will also promote public-private partnerships for sustainable development of tourism infrastructure and services.

It will call for the assessment and monitoring of sustainable tourism promotions, in-depth studies to adapt and utilise new technologies to develop smart and sustainable tourism, and develop a common framework for concerted action in APEC to ensure the sustainability of tourism and travel, Ái said.

The deputy minister said that the dialogue was an opportunity for APEC economies to share experiences and discuss measures to enhance effective co-operation and integration in the region, especially in the field of sustainable tourism development.

The dialogue was a Vietnamese initiative to realise the APEC Strategy for Strengthening Quality Growth, he said, adding that it was also a major contribution by APEC to the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development organised by the United Nations.

According to the Việt Nam National Administration of Tourism, visitors from APEC region to Việt Nam last year reached over 8.1 million, accounting for 81 per cent of the total number of foreign visitors.

Statistics from UNWTO show that the APEC region attracted 415 million international visitors last year, a 6.1 per cent increase over the previous year. Tourism contributed US$1.3 trillion for the region, creating 67 million jobs last year. — VNS