The 8th Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Tourism Ministerial Meeting (TMM8) closed this afternoon with the passage of the Macao Declaration, which sets out measures to create conditions for the development of a next-generation tourism industry in the Asia Pacific region.

New initiatives including the facilitation of tourist travel, promotion of digital technologies in tourism management and the development of sustainable, low-carbon tourism destinations are outlined in the Macao Declaration.

The Chairman of the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) Mr Shao Qiwei, who chaired today’s meeting, told reporters at a press conference that TMM8 had also achieved eight consensuses.

Firstly, APEC member economies acknowledge the important role played by the tourism industry in promoting trade co-operation and cultural exchanges.

Secondly, APEC member economies will strive to meet the new target of 800 million tourists by 2025 and give priority to the development of the tourism industry.

Thirdly, the APEC Tourism Strategic Plan will be rigorously implemented to encourage greater co-operation and market integration among the members.

Fourthly, the convergence of the tourism sector with other industries will be enhanced to promote the transformation of the tourism industry and its sustainable growth.

Fifthly, APEC member economies will be encouraged to bolster the development of ‘smart tourism’.

Sixthly, co-operation in the development of low carbon tourism destinations will be strengthened.

Seventhly, it is agreed that the APEC Tourism Strategic Plan will be updated to include the seamless connection of tourist travellers and the linkages of the tourist sector in the Asia Pacific region.

Finally, APEC member economies will press ahead with the Travel Facilitation Initiative.

Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat, Dr Alan Esmond Bollard, concluded that today’s meeting had allowed all the members to exchange ideas on their different growth mechanisms for the tourism sector.

He told reporters that four topics discussed today were of particular significance, namely better mobility of tourists; what can be done at airports and transport infrastructure to improve border processes through initiatives like the Travel Facilitation Initiative; examples of the uses of smart technologies, green development, low impact tourism, low carbon transport and improved ways of waste management; as well as market integration and ways of co-ordinating travel mechanisms across economies.

Mr Shao; Dr Bollard; the Vice Chairman of CNTA, Mr Du Jiang; Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Korea, Mr He Beom; and Mrs Mari Elka Pangestu, Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy of Indonesia, answered reporters’ questions during the press conference.