DEVELOPMENTS - Asean eager to lure cruise liners

Singapore (dpa), 29 January, 2007

Southeast Asian tourism ministers are focusing this week on a joint strategy to woo more cruise liners by promoting the region as the next Caribbean, participants said Monday.Stepped up efforts to attract more youth travellers are also on the agenda of the Asean Tourism Forum, being held through Saturday in Singapore.The Association of Southeast Asian Nations needs a "concerted effort" to become a compelling cruise destination, Singapore's Minister of State for Trade and Industry S Iswaran told The Straits Times.With only a handful of attractive cruise ports, Asia has yet to catch up with such popular cruise hubs as the Caribbean and Mediterranean, he said.Air links are also being discussed. Iswaran noted how an "open aviation regime will pave the way for more flights and competitive airfares." This, in turn, will give Asean member states the extra boost to emerge into booming tourism markets.ASEAN is also bringing forward a plan to permit unlimited flights between the capital cities of member countries by next year.

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