Round-table on Asia-Pacific tourism kicks off in Macao

The United Nation's World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) launched a two-day ministerial round-table on Tuesday in Macao to discuss on Asia-Pacific tourism policies.

Francesco Frangialli, secretary-general of the UNWTO, said while addressing the opening ceremony that those attended the meeting included tourism-related ministers from nations including Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Lao, Malaysia, the Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vanuatu.

Topics for discussion covered the impact of low cost carriers, the emerging markets in China and India, crisis management and the image building, Francesco Frangialli said.

The round-table is to see the launch of the UNWTO annual study themed Asia-Pacific Tourism Megatrends, he said.

The UNWTO, on the sidelines of the meeting, will present its first Asia-Pacific Tourism Ambassador's Award to Jackie Chan, a Hong Kong-based international martial arts movie star, he added.

The UNWTO, based in Madrid, Spain, has the main tasks of collecting tourism statistics, researching on tourism policies and providing advice for the tourism sectors of the member states.

Source: Xinhua