SIHANOUKVILLE: Prime Minister Hun Sen, the 2022 ASEAN Chair, urges ASEAN countries to reconsider promoting ASEAN intra-tourism, urging the ASEAN Tourism Ministers' Meeting (to be held on 19 January 2022) to formulate a consensus to announce the reopening of ASEAN tourism.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2022 (ATF 2022) in Sihanoukville on Tuesday night, Prime Minister Hun Sen said, "I support the re-opening of intra-ASEAN tourism as well as the whole region to welcome international tourism. In this regard, on behalf of Cambodia as the Chair of ASEAN, I would like to support the ASEAN Tourism Ministers to discuss and unanimously announce the reopening of ASEAN tourism tomorrow, from Sihanoukville.”

The Prime Minister also stated that in order for ASEAN to be able to reopen international tourism, it is necessary to have confidence in safe tourism destinations based on the goal of vaccination as a baseline indicator.

He announced his support for the vaccine tourism program and the launch of the ASEAN Campaign as a warm and safe tourism destination.

He called on the ASEAN Tourism Ministers and the ASEAN Tourism Institutions to study and set up a joint system for the certification of Covid-19 vaccines in all doses in the ASEAN region, and suggests reconsidering the gradual adjustment of travel conditions based on the principle of high caution.

One of the goals that Prime Minister Hun Sen has already discussed with the ASEAN Secretary-General is the prevention of the further spread of Covid-19 infections during the reopening of the ASEAN Corridor, in order to be able to safely and successfully boost people-to-people contacts, tourism and trade in the region.