Southeast Asia Weaves a Unified Tourism Branding in Malaysia at the 2025 ASEAN Tourism Forum
The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia hosted the 43rd annual ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) January 15-19, 2025 in Johor Bahru with the theme: Unity in Motion: Shaping ASEAN’s Tourism Tomorrow.

This conference and travel trade show is all about Southeast Asia’s sustainable and interconnected tourism future. Since its inauguration in 1981, the annual ATF rotates alphabetically through its 10 member-countries with a total of 600 million people—Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The tourism fusion of Southeast Asia’s 10 countries and their amazingly varied cultures poses several challenges, one of which is its diversity. ASEAN members range from wealthy Singapore and Brunei to agrarian Laos and Cambodia. Politics also run the spectrum, from the democratic Philippines, which is largely Christian, Indonesia, which encompasses the world’s largest Muslim population—and, for now, a difficult to access Myanmar.
In 2024, ASEAN welcomed 103 million international arrivals—an increase from 2023 by 14-percent.
The 43rd annual ATF made a lasting impression on its delegates at the Persada Johor Convention Centre with a sea of colorful pavilions. There were also dozens of official sessions, functions, and celebrations at fabulous local hotels. International buyers (325), sellers (225), and 100 media were represented from 42 countries and fused the intentions of this regional travel-trade industry.
ATF 2025 Media Updates
Press conference-style media briefings led by tourism ministers from member countries created buzz about plans for a single or no-visa policy for the entire region, as this visa-free tourism strategy will help create an ideal single destination. Here is a breakdown of the 10 tourism minister’s announcements:
The wildly successful MALAYSIA Truly Asia campaign continues to showcase the best of its mixed native, Malay, Chinese, and Indian heritage. I asked the Director General of Tourism Malaysia, Datuk Manoharan Periasamy, if there any plans to change that slogan and he humorously replied, “We can have only one wife!” The digital arrival card for foreign visitors continues to be enhanced. Product development ideas include niche sports, hipster, wedding, food, and health & wellness. Kuala Lumpur has direct airline connections to 80 destinations with Air Asia being one of its busiest airline players in this region. Here, there is a festival for every occasion—and an occasion for every festival!
The PHILIPPINES’ Explore More Things to Love! Campaign recently replaced the 11-year “It’s more fun” campaign. There is also an enthusiastic initiative that celebrates Muslim-friendly destinations. In 2024, tourism accounted for 18-percent of the country’s GDP. The Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) were thrilled to re-announce the updated and enhanced Travel Philippines app. The free TRAVELPH app is a game changer. The Philippines’ 7,017 islands share some form of American-influenced musical, religious, and Hollywood traditions. The U.S. remains its second largest market, the first being South Korea—one out of four tourists here are Korean. I’ve enjoyed Philippine Airlines direct flight from New York (JFK) to Manila (via Vancouver).
VIETNAM continues it end-of-war celebrations, some focusing on US veterans returning in unity and vacation mode. The country continues trying to simplify its visa policy and extending tourist visas to 45 days. The Vietnam Timeless Charm promotion helped inspire visitors in 2024, with South Korea as the international visitor frontrunner. Vietnam remains one of the world’s 10 fastest growing travel markets, and doing so with a continued focus on security. The popular yet hard-to-reach Northern Highlands of Vietnam are now more accessible thanks to a new road from Hanoi to Sapa that halves the travel time between Hanoi and Lao Cai to only 3.5 hours.
Amazing THAILAND continues taking large strides toward increasing overland travel and sustainable development. In 2024, the top five international visitors were from China, Malaysia, India, South Korea, and Russia. The US has slipped out of the top five. Thailand welcomed over 30 million international arrivals which generated revenue of 1.8 trillion Baht (35-percent of those arrivals come from ASEAN countries). Part of its brand is the exotic culture of service that welcomes all. Thailand forecasts $80 billion in U.S. tourism spending in 2025. Along with being the region’s ASEAN highway interconnecting the region via marine, rail, air and road, Thailand continues setting the example for tourism in Southeast Asia with growing health and wellness sectors.
SINGAPORE’s Made in Singapore campaign continues to drive an elevated brand of marketing that drew 15.1 million international visitors in 2024—a 122-percent increase from 2023. The USA ranks seventh in this category. Its top three visitor arrival markets in 2024 were Indonesia, China, and Malaysia. Singapore continues to drive tourism demand with a vibrant and robust events calendar. One of the country’s most ambitious projects is a hi-speed railway link to Kuala Lumpur, with an aim to eventually extend through Thailand to China. Tourists continue flocking to their enduring offerings, including the National Gallery and Chinatown Street Market.
Wonderful INDONESIA attracted 12.7 million international visitors in 2024 as well as having one billion internal tourist movements. It continues to enforce a clean tourism movement and strives to make the country’s culinary delights known worldwide. Cruising Indonesia’s huge archipelagos is becoming more popular, exposing the country’s beautiful coastline outside of Bali, which is largely the only destination most Americans visit. Indonesia’s presence on Borneo is often also overshadowed by Bali, making it perhaps one of the best kept secrets in Southeast Asia.
The vision of the CAMBODIA’s Kingdom of Wonder campaign continues to attract visitors from every corner of the globe. Deputy Tourism Director Ms. Ouk Sam Ath noted that the top three international arrivals in 2024 reigned from its good neighbors Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos. Discussions continue on building a new road to Angkor Wat. The dispute is that it would increase the number of day trips and cut down on overnight stays in Siem Reap, which would weaken the economy and potentially degrade the ruins. Cambodia now partners with Thailand for a single visa option.
LAOS: Laos Simply Beautiful, although present on the trade-show floor, was not able to present at the conference. It continues to strive for and celebrate inclusive tourism in a unified Southeast Asia. Once again, China, Thailand, and Korea top its list of international visitors in 2024. Lao tourism recertified its country’s commitment to improving the roads and transportation infrastructure, allowing tourists to move easily throughout the country without flying. A recently completed modern highway and high-speed railway (10 Stations in Laos; 4 in China) have simplified traveling here in a big way. Luang Prabang continues to be one of the main draws for western travelers, and Laos has successfully evolved places like Vang Vieng from backpacker hangouts to more upscale destinations. The future looks bright for “Jewel of the Mekong.” Ps, I’ve explored 150 countries. The ultra-mellow Lao people might be the kindest, most hospitable, and genuine humans on Earth.
The MYANMAR Be Enchanted campaign continues to claim that specific, safe tourist destinations still exist—which is hopefully and probably true. Its plan is to develop a more resilient, balanced, responsible, and sustainable tourism sector. Myanmar remains the land of (at least monthly) festivals. In 2015, ATF was held in Myanmar for the first time. The tourism minister identified tourism as one of its top-five priority sectors with a promising growth rate. The country is working to improve transit, road conditions, and flight options. I can testify that the online tourist e-visa (evisa.moip.gov.mm $50) and business visa on arrival ($40) both work.
BRUNEI did not participate in ATF 2025. Its Adobe of Peace campaign has been a success. The last Malay Kingdom celebrates its options to play golf or polo, dive, or relax in a plush resort. While under 10,000 Americans visit Brunei each year, it is rich in rainforest and mountain terrain (especially in neighboring Borneo) that could be very attractive to adventure travelers.
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*For more information and tourism statistics visit ATFtravel. ATF 2026 will be held in the Philippines, where it will continue to weave connections among Southeast Asia’s 10 diverse countries. ATF delegates were offered several post-conference tour options throughout Malaysia.

MORE ABOUT ATF
In terms of tourism, Southeast Asia holds vast potential as one sustainable community. The idea of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts is not lost on this region. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is an organization comparable to the European Union with its enduring effort to achieve regional solidarity. This forum is ultra-focused on how its member countries can work together to market themselves as one destination.
ASEAN cohesion emphasizes partnerships rather than competition. A single market free-trade agreement is another goal of the association. Until December 2008, the 40-year-old organization had no written constitution. The new charter sets a goal for establishing economic integration via a 10-country free-trade zone and established commitments respecting human rights, democratic principles, and keeping the region free of nuclear weapons. Binding the 10 members to an enhanced legal framework, the regional charter sets out their shared aims and methods of working together.