New campaign looks to lure 121 million visitors to SEA by 2017

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has unveiled its new branding for its “Visit ASEAN@50 Golden Celebration 2017” tourism campaign. Key target markets for ASEAN’s 50th anniversary tourism campaign in 2017 will be long-haul markets such as Europe, Middle East and North America, as well as intra-ASEAN, China, Japan, Korea, India and Australia.Multiple activities and promotions will be announced to drive the campaign. Marketing activities include an official launch at the ASEAN Tourism Forum early January 2017 in Singapore, media familiarisation trips, special tour deals and campaign promotion in international travel trade shows in key source markets. It will also launch cooperative marketing programs with travel, media and airline partners which will be announced at ITB Asia, October 2016.The campaign will also include print and online advertising, as well as TV, video and promotions. Social media campaigns to enhance consumer engagement will also be activated alongside promotional programs by ASEAN’s national tourism offices.The Visit ASEAN@50 campaign aims to raise international visitor arrivals to Southeast Asia from 108.9 million in 2015 to 121 million by the end of 2017 and increase tourism receipts from US$75 billion in 2014 to US$83 billion as well. Other key objectives include the promotion of the twin objectives of commemorating the 50th anniversary of ASEAN in 2017, and embracing the ASEAN region of Southeast Asia as a single, united and diverse tourism destination.It will target trade, consumer and MICE markets throughout 2017 and headed by the ASEAN Tourism Competitiveness Committee. The 2017 50th anniversary tourism campaign is part of the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan 2016-2025, which was adopted by the association’s tourism ministers in Manila in January 2016.“ASEAN’s Golden Jubilee serves as a great opportunity for our 10 member states to celebrate Southeast Asia’s strength through diversity as the world’s fastest growing tourism destination,” Thongloun Sisoulith, Prime Minister of Lao PDR and chairman of the ASEAN Summit, said.“Visit ASEAN@50 will contribute towards our vision of creating a cohesive ASEAN economy,” he added.