Jakarta, January 26 (VNA) - The ASEAN Framework on Sustainable Tourism Development in the Post-COVID-19 Era has been recently released to guide the work on ASEAN’s sustainable tourism development agenda.

Sustainable tourism is considered an emerging key factor for a destination’s ability to maintain or build a strong reputation and a competitive brand which is hoped to enhance the existing relationships with local communities, visitors, and other relevant stakeholders.

As articulated in the AEC Blueprint 2025, the vision for Southeast Asia is to make the region a “quality tourism destination” that offers a unique and diverse ASEAN experience and is committed to sustainable tourism development.

As a collective effort towards realising this vision, the ASEAN Tourism Ministers have endorsed the ASEAN Framework on Sustainable Tourism Development in the Post-COVID-19 Era with the support of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA).

The framework identifies focus areas and seeks to capitalise on the work that is already being undertaken by the tourism sector./