On 9 June 2016, the opening ceremony of the 31st Korea World Travel Fair (KOTFA) was held in Seoul, Korea. H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Fair and the launching ceremony for the ASEAN campaign “Visit ASEAN@50: Golden Celebration” held by the ASEAN-Korea Centre (AKC).
H.E. Mr. Kim Young-sun, Secretary General of AKC delivered remarks at the launching ceremony. He said that AKC had been participating in the KOTFA since 2013, providing the general public of Korea with useful tourism information on ASEAN, and promoting tourism cooperation between ASEAN and Korea. ASEAN would launch the campaign under the theme “Visit ASEAN@50: Golden Celebration” to mark its 50th anniversary next year. AKC set up the ASEAN pavilion to introduce the rich and diverse tourism resources of ASEAN to the general public of Korea. H.E. Mas Ermieyati Samsudin, Deputy Minister of Tourism and Culture of Malaysia, H.E. Mr. Benito C. Bengzon, Jr., Under Secretary of the Department of Tourism of the Philippines, Mr. Sounh Manivong, Director General of Tourism Development Department of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism of Lao PDR and representatives from ASEAN countries attended this event.
KOTFA is one of the largest international travel fairs in Korea. Tourism companies and agencies from 60 countries, including China, Lao PDR, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and other ASEAN countries, participated in this Fair. Secretary-General Yang visited the exhibitions and pavilions with the participants, and communicated with representatives of the pavilions of ASEAN countries and China.