Cebu: The establishment of a unified tourist visa across Southeast Asia will be a key topic of discussion among tourism ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states during their high-level meeting in Cebu this week. This initiative is part of broader efforts to enhance regional tourism collaboration and accessibility.

According to Philippines News Agency, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco confirmed the agenda ahead of the ministerial meetings scheduled to take place during the three-day ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) from January 29 to 30. As part of the ASEAN tourism strategic plan (ATSP), Frasco emphasized the importance of facilitating seamless access and overall accessibility to the region, highlighting that visa-free access and unified visas are being considered as components of the ATSP.

Frasco stated that all ASEAN member states are dedicated to positioning Southeast Asia as "one unified destination." However, she refrained from providing specific details on which markets ASEAN aims to prioritize with the proposed unified visa. "I really would not want to preempt our fellow ASEAN ministers. Only that the desire is for us to be able to develop the ASEAN region in a manner that will allow benefits to be felt across the region," she commented.

She further noted the potential for ASEAN countries to learn from and benefit from each other's tourism flows, underscoring the importance of regional cooperation. The formal opening of the ATF was led by Frasco and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos on Wednesday, marking the beginning of a week-long series of ASEAN-related meetings hosted in Cebu under the Philippine ASEAN chairship.