Few regions of the world are as exotic, diverse and captivating as the countries of Southeast Asia. Whether it's riding an elephant bareback in Thailand or a bike in Bali, touring the Temples of Angkor in Cambodia or the outdoor marketplaces in Malaysia; this dynamically evolving region demands the attention of frugal and luxury travelers.

And it's in this spirit of spotlighting the alluring attractions of Asia that the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) hosts its annual travel market in Bangkok, Thailand. Organized for its 28th edition, the ATF is the most significant annual tourism promotional forum in Asia. It is a cooperative regional platform that aims to create and increase awareness of the multi-faceted travel destinations and lifestyle offerings of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), namely: Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Bangkok, the host of this years' show, is adorned with a host of glitzy mix of skyscrapers and traditional temples and pagodas, as well as a thriving cultural and culinary Mecca for the discerning explorer. The city's contrasting surroundings captures the essence of the ASEAN countries - a destination moving toward the future, with one foot firmly in its rich and royal past.

The theme this year is "Synergy of ASEAN: Towards Dynamic Unity in Diversity", which reflects the desire to promote ASEAN as a single destination, as well as strengthen partnership and collective commonalities of countries and bolster intra-ASEAN travel. Tourism ministers from the region and high-ranking officials will hold meetings back-to-back on January 21 and 22, to discuss developments and implementation of regional goals as well as new areas of collaboration.

The ATF is expected to attract more then 1,800 participants including movers and shakers of the travel industry, tourism government officials and international media professionals. Visitors and selected international buyers attending the 9-day function will have a chance to browse through the booths of the ASEAN Travel Exchange (TRAVEX) of hotels, private luxury apartments and villas, aviation companies, cruise lines, exclusive private tour companies, travel booking companies and national tourist offices. The TRAVEX expositions are held between January 20 and 25.



ASEAN Tourism Forum
Dates: January 5-12, 2009
Venue:
Address:
City, Country: Ha Noi, Vietnam
Telephone: []
Forum Website