Tourism reemerging as key ASEAN economic resilience pillar

MACTAN, Cebu — Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) deputy secretary general Satvinder Singh stressed that the tourism industry in the region is not only recovering, but reemerging as a key pillar for ASEAN’s economic resilience and people-to-people connectivity.

In a discussion at the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2026 at the NUSTAR Resort and Casino, Singh said ASEAN welcomed 144 million international visitors last year, an increase of 13.4 percent versus 2024, with nearly 48 million coming from within the region.

“Today, intra-ASEAN tourism is a very strong force in terms of contributing towards the resilience of the industry. Intra-ASEAN travel, the thrust among our people, and the enduring connectivity, underpin the entire regional tourism ecosystems,” he said.

Substantial economic contribution

Singh also reported that tourism’s economic contribution remains substantial: in 2024, the sector generated close to $400 billion or almost 10 percent of ASEAN’s total GDP of nearly $4 trillion.

“More importantly, it contributes millions of jobs (in the ASEAN), that is, lose to 42.5 million (workers) as of today. Behind these figures, I see real people, workers, micro, small and medium enterprises, the youth, women, all benefiting from this sector. The livelihoods depend on ensuring that this sector grows happily, remains inclusive, and is also sustainable,” he said.

Challenges

However, Singh maintained that recovery alone is not enough, as ASEAN tourism now operates in a rapidly changing global landscape. “There are huge challenges out there, geopolitically and geoeconomically. On top of that, we are confronted with Climate Change, digital disruption, and even shifting traveler expectations, and we cannot deny that there is an intensified competition, not only amongst us but the rest of the world. There are a lot who are keen to grow tourism in their regions,” he emphasized.

For the region to be ready for these challenges, tourism ministers in the said region launched the ASEAN Tourism Sectoral Plan 2026-2030, as well as the ASEAN Tourism Marketing Strategy Plan 2026-2030.

The ASEAN Tourism Sectoral Plan 2026-2030 is a shared roadmap that fits the regional bloc’s overall vision. It is structured in five related focus areas, namely: resilient tourism; empowerment of the tourism workforce; accessible and seamless travel; digital tourism, product and market diversification, and sustainable tourism.

Leading the charge

For her part, Philippine Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said the priorities of the ASEAN Tourism Sectoral Plan 2026-2030 reflect a shared understanding that the future of tourism lies not in scale alone, but in the value for workers, for enterprises, for destinations, and for communities.

“The Philippines has been honored to serve as Lead Country Coordinator of the Sectoral Plan. In this role. We have worked closely with ASEAN Member States and Dialogue Partners, the ASEAN Secretariat, Asian Development Bank, and all stakeholders to sustain momentum, strengthen alignment, and support implementation that translates commitments into measurable outcomes,” she said.

“In this effort, we value the partnership of the Asian Development Bank, whose technical expertise and support continue to contribute meaningfully to ASEAN’s tourism initiatives. To our regional stakeholders and industry associations, your role remains essential. Regional strategies succeed when local systems are strong: when standards are upheld, skills are developed, and connectivity is enabled, and sustainability is advanced through responsible operations that protect destinations and the communities that depend on them,” added Frasco.