The Travel Exchange 2019 (Travex 2019), part of the ongoing ASEAN Tourism Forum 2019 (ATF 2019), opened in Ha Long city, the northeastern province of Quang Ninh on January 16.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien (centre) visits a booth at the Travel Exchange 2019 that  opened in Ha Long city on January 16

Hosted by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the three-day event features 400 pavilions of ASEAN member countries.

Travel firms of Vietnam and other ASEAN nations are provided with opportunities to boost business cooperation with more than 400 international buyers and reporters from major tourist markets such as the US, Europe, Northeast Asia and ASEAN. 

There will be thousands of meetings between sellers and buyers at the fair to discuss tourism-related issues.

[Infographics: Asean Tourism Forum 2019: The power of one]

Travex 2019 is a highlight of the ATF 2019 hosted by Vietnam from January 14-18.

Vietnam first hosted the ATF 10 years ago and this year’s edition is set to open opportunities for cooperation and promote the beauty of the people, countries and cultures in the region to international friends. 

With the theme of “ASEAN – The Power of One”, the forum is in line with ASEAN cooperation, towards a “One Vision, One Identity, One Community” bloc.

It offers a chance for Vietnam to enhance its position in regional tourism cooperation and introduce its huge potential.

The ATF, established in 1981, is a regional effort to promote ASEAN as one tourist destination. The annual event involves all the tourism industry sectors of the 10 member states.

This year, the event also includes India, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Russia and China.-VNA