ATF 2026 once again served as a key platform for regional dialogue and tourism collaboration, bringing together the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Timor-Leste, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Laos for an in-depth media briefing. Eight ASEAN Member States shared tourism updates, highlighting travel trends, priority initiatives, and the cultural and natural assets shaping their tourism directions. As host of ATF 2026, the Philippines opened the country briefing, followed by presentations from fellow ASEAN Member States.

Philippines: Visa-free entry for Indian, Taiwanese, and Chinese nationals

As an archipelago of more than 7,600 islands, the Philippines remains a force in the ASEAN region with initiatives focusing on improving visitor experience, safety, and service quality.

In order to promote frictionless travel Philippines has introduced visa-free entry for Indian, Taiwanese, and Chinese nationals; Visa waivers for cruise passengers; the introduction of a digital nomad visa targeting long-stay remote professionals; Planning a rollout of a VAT refund scheme for tourists. Health and wellness tourism has been strengthened through the launch of a 24/7 Tourist Medical Concierge, which has already assisted more than 20,000 tourists from 76 countries.

Bilateral tourism agreements with Brunei, India, Israel, Japan, Korea, Thailand, and Qatar are expected to lower travel advisories, facilitate new air routes, and encourage cooperation in policy, standards, investment, and product development.

During the media briefing, Verna C. Buensuceso, Undersecretary for Tourism Development, Department of Tourism, Philippines, outlined the country’s recovery, policy direction, and medium-term priorities while underlining the strategic importance of the sector.

The Philippines tourism development has entered a strong recovery phase following the pandemic, with International arrivals increasing from 163,879 visitors in 2021 to almost 6.5 million visitors projected for 2024–2025. “We are not just recovering, we are actually building momentum. Each step forward proves that the Philippines has the demand, the products, and the people,” said Buensuceso.

Inbound tourism expenditure in 2025 is estimated at approximately PHP 694 billion with an average length of stay of 11.9 days and average daily spending of around US$122.

The DoT highlighted new and expanded international routes connecting Manila and Cebu with San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver, New Delhi, Guam, Perth, Brisbane, and Paris. Chartered flights from Russia and Mongolia have been introduced, while domestic connectivity has expanded through new routes linking Clark, Cebu, Davao and Iloilo with island destinations such as Coron, El Nido, Siargao, and Boracay.

Gastronomy tourism is advancing through the Philippine Experience programme, a national culinary roadmap and international promotion following inclusion in the Michelin Guide. Other growth sectors include cultural and creative tourism, diving supported by improved safety systems, golf tourism across more than 117 courses, sports and film tourism, MICE travel, and cruise tourism.

Maria Margarita M. Nograles, Chief Operating Officer of the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines, outlined TPB’s role as the Department of Tourism’s marketing and B2B engagement arm. “We are the marketing arm of the Philippine Department of Tourism in charge of our travel trade shows and strategic business-to-business engagements here at home and abroad,” she said.

Its 2025–2028 strategy follows a whole-of-nation approach using research-driven promotion, expanded branding, and positioning the country as a leading MICE destination.

Visit Malaysia 2026 Kicks Off at ATF 2026

Tourism Malaysia had a great presence at TRAVEX 2026 with the Malaysian delegation led by YB Dato Sri Tiong King Sing, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia (MOTAC).

Malaysia was represented by a robust delegation of 80 participants from 44 organisations, comprising state tourism bodies, hotels and resorts, travel agencies, airlines, and product owners.  The event was used to promote Visit Malaysia 2026 and to warmly welcome ATF participants to the country. Visit Malaysia 2026 underscores Malaysia’s commitment to sustainable tourism development, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs).

Malaysia’s tourism industry continues to demonstrate strong growth momentum, with international visitor arrivals reaching 42,196,892 throughout 2025, representing a 11.2 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2024.

During a media briefing, Malaysia’s representatives emphasized that medical tourism is now a strategic pillar of the country’s broader tourism and healthcare agenda, anchored by the upcoming Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism (MYMT) 2026 campaign.

Timor-Leste: Newest Member Of ASEAN

One of the main attractions for the media during ATF 2026 was the National Tourism Organisation (NTO) media briefings spread across two days. This enabled the media to get an idea of the country from official dignitaries from numerous countries.

Timor-Leste, which became the 11th and newest member of ASEAN (in Oct 2025) used the ATF 2026 platform to bring in global visibility to the country.  Antonio da Silva, DG, Ministry of Tourism, Timor-Leste, highlighted the country’s tourism strategy that focuses on quality over quantity or mass tourism.

The country has welcomed over 123 million international visitors in 2024 and generated billions in tourism revenue.  Marine tourism will be a major focus where tourists can witness 1,200 reef fish species, 400 coral species, whales, and dolphins.

Timor Leste currently offers 2,400 keys, with around 600 located in the capital of Dili. Antonio da Silva said, “ATF 2026 provided us with immediate access to ASEAN’s established marketing channels and an unparalleled platform to introduce Timor-Leste to regional and international tourism stakeholders as Southeast Asia’s 11th member nation. We are eyeing 200,000 visitors annually by 2030 with a focus on quality tourism without pursuing mass tourism”.

Singapore Tourism Strategy 2040

Singapore has unveiled its Singapore Tourism Strategy 2040. The Tourism Strategy 2040 focuses on a long-term vision to position Singapore as a world-class destination offering distinctive experiences while remaining a vibrant and liveable city for residents. The plan aims to increase tourism receipts to between S$47 billion and S$50 billion by 2040. “We have plans to strengthen sustainable growth, deepen business events performance, and enhance visitor experiences while building stronger capabilities across the tourism industry,” said Kwan Su Min, Director of Communications Marketing Group at the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).

Between January and November 2025, the country received about 15.5 million international arrivals, representing a 3 percent increase year-on-year (YoY), and is expecting the year total to reach around 18 million visitors. In the first half of 2025, Singapore generated S$15.7 billion in tourism revenue with an average stay of approximately 3.5 days and occupancy averaging 82.4 percent from a room supply of around 74,000.

The Tourism Strategy 2040 focuses on a long-term vision to position Singapore as a world-class destination offering distinctive experiences. The plan aims to increase tourism receipts to between S$47 billion and S$50 billion by 2040, with growth driven primarily by visitor spending rather than large increases in arrivals. Business events and conventions form a cornerstone of the strategy. Singapore aims to triple MICE tourism receipts by 2040. MICE visitors typically spend nearly twice as much as leisure travellers, making the segment particularly valuable.

The strategy also promotes Singapore’s creative and cultural talent globally through platforms such as World Expo Osaka 2025 and international partnerships with brands, artists, and media producers.

Visit Vietnam 2026

Vietnam has become a very popular destination for Indians, especially with direct flights and good connecting flights.  Considered as an economical destination like Thailand, the ministry plans to attract higher-spending visitors. Visit Vietnam 2026 programme is expected to showcase ethnic cultures, natural ecosystems, and signature events, including coffee festivals and international water sports competitions.

Currently, tourism accounts for over a quarter of Vietnam’s total service export earnings, with aims to receive 25 million international arrivals and more than 150 million domestic tourists by 2026.

The numerous UNESCO-recognised heritage sites provide an immersive cultural experience throughout the country. The tourism products mainly focus on nature experiences – beaches, islands, highlands, caves, adventure tourism (trekking, camping, diving, etc.). Vietnam currently has more than 100 golf courses and expects the number to exceed 200 within the next few years. MICE tourism is another focus.

In his media presentation, Nguyen Quy Phuong, Director of International Relations and Tourism Marketing at the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) focused on safety and ease of travel across Vietnam with an aim to make Visit Vietnam 2026 a grand success.

MaiA@ Indonesia

Indonesia reaffirmed its commitment to promoting tourism by participating in TRAVEX. Indonesia had a 54-square-meter Wonderful Indonesia Pavilion themed “Go Beyond Ordinary.”  

Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana said Indonesia’s presence at ATF TRAVEX underscores its focus on promoting national tourism potential while accelerating digital transformation across the sector. MaiA (Meticulous Artificial Intelligence of Indonesia) is part of the Tourism 5.0 priority program and is designed to deliver smart, data-driven services tailored to travelers’ needs through the Indonesia travel platform.

“As we enter 2026, Indonesia’s tourism sector is entering a new phase of growth and transformation. We are proud to introduce a major milestone in Indonesia’s digital tourism journey, MaiA. We are targeting 16–17.6 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2026,” said Widiyanti.

Singapore will assume the ASEAN chairmanship and host the ATF 2027.