Johor Bahru, 15–20 January 2025: ERIA participated in the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2025 in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, held from 15 to 20 January 2025 as part of Malaysia’s Chairmanship of ASEAN this year. ERIA President, Tetsuya Watanabe, and ERIA Managing Director for Policy Design and Operations, Dr Aladdin D. Rillo, represented the organisation at key meetings, including the ASEAN Tourism Cooperation session during the 28th Meeting of ASEAN Tourism Ministers and the 61st ASEAN National Tourism Organisations (NTOs) Meeting.

ERIA has been working closely with ASEAN on tourism initiatives since 2022, supporting projects such as the ASEAN Sustainable Tourism Framework, the Action Roadmap on ASEAN Sustainable Tourism, and the first phase of the ASEAN Eco-tourism Standards. During the meeting with the Ministers, President Watanabe reaffirmed ERIA’s strong commitment to supporting ASEAN’s efforts in developing sustainable and resilient tourism across the region.

Prior to the main event, President Watanabe also held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Dato’ Abdul Manaf Metussin, Brunei Darussalam’s Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism. They discussed the state of eco-tourism in Asia, explored new opportunities for collaboration, and reviewed progress on existing joint research projects.