TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Tourism authorities of 21 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member countries pledged to improve infrastructures in a bid to double the number of foreign tourists visiting the Asia-Pacific region to 800 million in the next decade. The target was set to open wider job opportunities in the region.
In order to achieve the target, APEC members agreed to hold a forum in ecotourism destination Kokopo, Papua New Guinea, for tourism-based small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Topics to be discussed in the forum include how to maximize SMEs capacity in the Asia-Pacific region, since they account for 97 percent of the total number of businesses and jobs.
"The Asia-Pacific is currently the most significant contributor the advancement in tourist numbers globally. The region's position is reflective of its above average market growth which registered a nine per cent rate within the first four months of 2016," Papua New Guinea Tourism Minister Tobias Kulang said in APEC's press release on Monday, September 5, 2016.
Mr. Kulang added that tourism could be an engine for economic growth and prosperity of APEC members. Therefore, he said, the tourism must be developed to ensure a sustainable, inclusive travel and tourism sector, promote labor, skills development and certification to build compatible workforces.
Based on APEC's data, international tourist arrivals in APEC economies have jumped by 168 percent to over 436 million during the last two decades. With such a favorable figure, APEC believes that the region stands a good chance to hit its target of 800 million by 2025.
Upon the target achievement, the Asia-Pacific region would enjoy an additional income of US$3.8 trillion in GDP, create 21.1 million jobs and lift 15.2 million people out of poverty.
