BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN — Tourism officials from ASEAN, China, South Korea and Japan reaffirmed their commitment on Jan 16 to strengthen their cooperation to make the region more competitive globally.

Zhang Xu, China's vice-minister of culture and tourism, led a Chinese delegation to the 19th Meeting of ASEAN Plus Three Tourism Ministers in the Bruneian capital.

At the meeting, Zhang and his counterparts reviewed the tourism industry performance of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), China, Japan and South Korea last year.

The tourism officials discussed issues including the implementation of the ASEAN+3 memorandum of understanding on tourism cooperation, ASEAN+3 tourism cooperation work plan 2018-2020 and the promotion of international cooperation to make hotel service industry more attractive, dynamic and sustainable in line with the ASEAN Vision 2025.

The meeting was attended by the tourism ministers or their representatives from 10 ASEAN member countries and its three dialogue partners - China, Japan and South Korea, and representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat.