APEC Tourism Ministers concluded their meeting in Khabarovsk, Russia today by issuing the Khabarovsk Declaration to facilitate tourism to realize more robust economic growth in the Asia-Pacific.
The Khabarovsk Declaration, unanimously adopted by APEC's 21 member economies, provides a roadmap for advancing policies that facilitate and secure cross-border tourist flows, and strengthen tourism development. The goal is to boost travel and tourism businesses, promote greater industry investment, increase employment and create a more seamless regional economy.
APEC Ministers noted that the travel and tourism industry contributed 8.3 percent or US $3.22 trillion to APEC economies' GDP in 2011 and today employs more than 120 million people in the region. The open, constructive exchange of views and ideas between APEC economies, the private sector and international organizations is critical to furthering regional tourism development, APEC Ministers agreed.
The results of the 7th APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting will be reported during the 2012 APEC Leaders' Meeting in Vladivostok on 8-9 September.
First published in RIA Novosti.
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