ASEAN Travel Exchange 2025 to debut in Kota Kinabalu this June

 

The inaugural ASEAN Travel Exchange (ATEX) 2025 will take place at The Magellan Sutera Resort, Kota Kinabalu, from June 19 to 21, marking a significant milestone in regional tourism collaboration and recovery efforts.

The event is organised by leading South-east Asia’s tourism bodies, including the ASEAN Tourism Association (ASEANTA), Federation of ASEAN Travel Associations (FATA), and the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA). It is supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment Sabah, Sabah Tourism Board, Sabah Convention Bureau, and strategic partners AirAsia Group and Jetama Water.

ATEX 2025 is expected to attract 354 delegates, comprising 229 semi-hosted buyers and 125 sellers. Buyers will attend from 17 countries, including China, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Oman, South Korea, Iran, Myanmar and Vietnam. They primarily represent tour operators, travel agents, hoteliers, and tourism product owners.

Sellers represent seven ASEAN member states – Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam – and cover sectors such as accommodation, transport, attractions, and destination management services.

FATA president Tan Kok Liang said: “This is a timely event that not only aligns with Visit Malaysia Year 2026 but also positions Sabah as a central player in ASEAN’s multi-destination travel ecosystem. ATEX supports ASEAN connectivity goals by facilitating increased visitor flows and regional cooperation. It also reinforces Sabah’s growing reputation as a premier business events destination, helping to enhance its international visibility and economic prospects.”

The official opening on June 19 will feature speeches by Sabah’s chief minister, Hajiji Noor, and the state’s minister of tourism, culture and environment, Christina Liew. The programme will include product presentations from Sabah Parks, Sabah Wildlife, Sabah Convention Bureau, Sabah Tourism Board, and AirAsia. The day will conclude with a welcome dinner at Shangri-La Tanjung Aru.

June 20 will be dedicated to B2B speed-dating sessions between buyers and sellers. On June 21, hosted buyers will take part in curated post-show tours designed to showcase Sabah’s cultural, natural, and island attractions.

Tan added: “The post-tours are designed to give buyers immersive experiences and a deeper understanding of Sabah’s tourism offerings. It’s not just about selling a destination, it’s about experiencing it.”

Looking ahead, Tan confirmed that there are plans for ATEX to become a recurring ASEAN tourism trade event, rotating among member countries. The continuation and future host of the event will depend on the outcomes of this first edition, with factors such as stakeholder feedback, participation, and regional interest playing a role in decisions going forward.

-TTG Asia.

FATA calls for visa waiver for nationals of ASEAN+3

ASEAN governments should remove travel restrictions on their own citizens and other ASEAN members, said president of the Federation of ASEAN Travel Associations (FATA), Aung Myat Khaw.

“At the very least, ASEAN nationals should be allowed to enter any member country without visas for a minimum stay of 14 days,” he said, calling this “crucial” in the realisation of the ASEAN Economic Community by end this year.

Also the president of the Union Myanmar Travel Association, Aung Myat Khaw was speaking at the FATA meeting in Kuala Lumpur where members discussed the slowdown of tourists from western markets as well as the importance of growth in regional travel, especially from China, Japan and South Korea.

He said: “It is imperative that all ASEAN countries drop visa requirements for visitors from these three East Asian countries before more of their nationals travel to other parts of the world and bypass ASEAN destinations altogether.”

Aung Myat Khaw emphasised that ASEAN governments should realise that tourist arrivals are not a given growth but requires continuous promotion. “However, such efforts would be ineffective if little effort was made to facilitate entry of visitors, especially in removing visa requirements. It is a bother to spend time and money applying for a visa and many high-spending tourists often travel at short notice, and would rather visit countries that do not require visas.”

Moreover, tourism brings an influx of businesses and investments into the country, said Hamzah Rahmat, FATA secretary general and president of MATTA.

“A government that insists on imposing visas does not want to see the potential tourism can bring for the economy,” he said.

-TTG Asia.