CLOSING REMARKS BY MR S ISWARAN, MINISTER FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY (INDUSTRY) AT THE ASEAN TOURISM AWARDS AND CLOSING CEREMONY ON 20 JANUARY 2017, 6.15PM AT PAN PACIFIC SINGAPORE

 

Heads of Delegation,

 

Ladies and Gentlemen

 

1.       Singapore had the pleasure of hosting the 36th ASEAN Tourism Forum 2017 over the past week.  I hope you have enjoyed the different Singapore experiences that our team has specially curated for all of you.

2.        I’d like to congratulate the winners of today’s ASEAN Tourism Awards for Homestay and Community-based Tourism.  The work of this group of recipients is one of the many reasons why we travel.  We travel to relax, to experience and understand different cultures, and to discover a new and exciting world out there.

 3.       With ASEAN’s collective marketing and promotional efforts under the Visit ASEAN@50: Golden Celebration campaign this year, I hope more visitors will be inspired to experience Southeast Asia’s diverse travel products and tourism experiences.

4.       ASEAN cannot do this alone, and we look forward to working closely with our communities, trade partners and stakeholders to grow this tourism sector even further.

5.       I’d also like to extend a special thank you to His Excellency Le Luong Minh, Secretary-General of ASEAN, the ASEAN Tourism Ministers and their delegations, as well as the organisers: the Singapore Tourism Board, Singapore Hotel Association and the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore for your active participation and support.

6.       Thank you also to our sponsors and partners for their contribution in making this ATF a success.

7.       The successful and multi-faceted partnership between the public, private and people sectors of ASEAN has made this ASEAN Tourism Forum another milestone in ASEAN’s history book, on the occasion of ASEAN’s 50th anniversary. 

8.       The end of ATF 2017 marks the next chapter of ASEAN’s journey.  As our Prime Minister noted in his opening speech, even as other parts of the world grow more divided, ASEAN remains united and can achieve more together, as one community.  We look forward to many more years of friendship and cooperation.  Thailand will be hosting the ATF next year in 2018, and we are confident that the Thai hospitality and warmth will ensure another successful ATF.

 9.       Thank you once again, and I hope all of you have had a fruitful and pleasant stay in Singapore.