Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Dang Thi Bich Lien is joining tourism chiefs from other ASEAN member countries in the first-ever ASEAN Ecotourism Forum 2016 that opened in Champasak, Laos on June 22.

Opening the event, Lao Minister of Culture, Information and Tourism Bosengkham Vongdara described the forum as a good chance for the association’s member countries to foster cooperation in order to realise the ASEAN vision towards 2025 as well as the ASEAN tourism strategy in 2016-2025.

During the two-day event, themed “ASEAN Without Border: Roadmap for Strategic Development of Ecotourism Clusters and Tourism Corridors,” participants will share their practical experience in developing ecotourism.

The tourism chiefs will organise a roundtable to pass a Pakse Declaration, a document reflecting their common desire to boost ecotourism growth and form ecotourism clusters in the region.

At the same time, a green tourism fair will be held, together with a conference on ASEAN tourism development to introduce tours and services as well as ecotourism programmes of Champasak province and other localities.

VNA