By He Yan, Guo Yang

Tourism Cooperation Filled With Promise

By He Yan, Guo Yang

The year 2017 marks a significant opportunity for the promotion of tourism exchange between China and ASEAN

About the author: Guo Yang is an associate professor at Fudan University’s Department of Tourism.

About the author: He Yan is a postgraduate student at Fudan University’s Department of Tourism.

In recent years, connectivity between China and ASEAN member states has been greatly enhanced as Chinese outbound tourism has boomed. China is now the largest source country of foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) in ASEAN countries. As tourism has come to the forefront in China-ASEAN economic cooperation, 2017 was designated the China-ASEAN Year of Tourism Cooperation at the 19th China-ASEAN Summit, held last year. Meanwhile, with the initiative of building the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road put into practice, advancing regional economic cooperation and regional economic integration has become a key priority in China’s external economic sectors.

We believe that within the framework of the China-ASEAN tourism exchange and cooperation mechanism, propelled by the 2017 China-ASEAN Year of Tourism Cooperation, tourism cooperation between the two sides sees a promising future and the tourism industry is poised for vigorous growth.

Promising Industry

Tourism has long been the most dynamic field in China-ASEAN cooperation. The reason why China has become such an important contributor to the booming ASEAN tourism market lies in the unique geographical features and distinctive histories and cultures of ASEAN countries.

The first factor is geographical proximity. ASEAN countries boast stunning tropical scenery and rich resources in island tourism, and most ASEAN island destinations are near China. Encouraging travel in neighboring countries is an inevitable choice for a country promoting outbound tourism. That is why China is bound to be the largest source country of FTAs in ASEAN globally.

Culture is another important factor. Generations of Chinese immigrants in Southeast Asia have played a big role in blending traditional Chinese culture with local cultures, resulting in unique customs found in various ASEAN countries. Traveling in Southeast Asia, Chinese visitors enjoy both cultural similarities and differences.

The third factor is the relationship between personal income and tourism. As disposable incomes increase, a growing number of Chinese choose traveling abroad as a way of life. Most of them first choose to go to places that are not far from where they live. Therefore, ASEAN countries naturally become top choice for Chinese outbound tourists.

Rapidly Developing Industry

At present, the Chinese outbound tourism market is growing rapidly, with citizens traveling abroad for private purposes playing the leading role.

China and ASEAN should further enhance tourism cooperation and expand the scale of the tourism market, hold tourism promotion events in each other’s countries, jointly create competitive international tourist routes and products with special features and make it more convenient to apply for tourist visas. The two sides should also push forward cooperation on cruise tourism programs, carry out sports exchanges and support ASEAN countries hosting major international sports events.

At the same time, ASEAN is also making efforts in promoting industrial integration, and 11 key areas have been determined according to their contribution to economic growth. Among them, tourism and air passenger transport are vital. Since the tourism industry has developed into the economic lifeline of many ASEAN countries, ASEAN is now trying to build itself as an integrated tourism destination through deepened cooperation among its member states. Given the fact that Chinese tourists are a major impetus for the sustainable development of the ASEAN tourism industry, preferential policies in visa applications and direct flights are expected to be made in the future.