Kuala Lumpur: ASEAN tourism ministers have unanimously agreed to establish the ASEAN-Australia Tourism Ministers’ Meeting, a new initiative aimed at fostering deeper collaboration in the tourism sector.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (MOTAC) secretary-general Datuk Roslan Abdul Rahman stated that the initiative was thoroughly discussed during the ASEAN Ministerial Meetings and is currently in the pipeline. “We have presented the reasons why it is timely for ASEAN and Australia to have this tourism collaboration and Malaysia has pushed for this. All the ASEAN ministers have agreed that we should have further collaboration between ASEAN and Australia. So there is another partnership that we will have and we are very happy and proud to be pushing this matter to the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and it has been accepted,” he said.
Roslan made these comments during a press conference at the conclusion of the ASEAN Tourism Ministers’ Meeting and their discussions with dialogue partners. These meetings were part of the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2025 (ATF 2025), held at a hotel from January 15 until today. The ATF 2025 aimed to promote regional tourism products, facilitate knowledge sharing, build valuable networking, and enhance cooperation with global tourism leaders to boost tourist arrivals in ASEAN.
Meanwhile, Roslan explained the rationale behind choosing Australia as ASEAN’s new dialogue partner, highlighting the proximity of ASEAN member countries to Australia and the country’s relatively strong currency. “We already have Japan, China, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation and India. We are not only looking east but also west, north, and now south as well. Australians frequently visit ASEAN countries, and the region closest to Australia is Southeast Asia, ASEAN. However, we aim to further foster the spirit of cooperation and explore tourism products that we can share with the people of that country,” he remarked.
He further noted that enhanced cooperation between member states and Australia in the tourism sector could address issues such as the difficulties faced by ASEAN tourists entering Australia. “Most of the issues involving Malaysian tourists in Australia stem from their working there. This problem is not one-sided; it involves both parties. We also don’t want Malaysian tourists to be seen as problematic travellers. As Malaysians, we must be responsible tourists. Follow local rules and regulations. Malaysians are known for being polite and well-mannered, and they enjoy welcoming us. However, let’s not reach a point where Malaysian passports are viewed as a problem,” he added.