Manado, N Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - The ASEAN National Tourism Organizations (ASEAN-NTOs) discussed sub-regional ASEAN cooperation on the second day of their meeting here on Monday.

"The discussion of the cooperation agenda is closely related to the programs that are being or will be implemented this year at sub-regional level,"ASEAN NTOs chairman Wardiyatmo said.

The sub-regional cooperation covered three areas. One of them concerned the Greater Mekong Sub Region (GMS) which involved Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar, he said.

The meeting agreed to appoint Myanmar GMS chief.

The second area of cooperation concerned development of the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) in which Thailand had been appointed chief of the tourism field.

The third area of cooperation dealt with development of the Brunei-Indonesia- Malaysia- Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) with Malaysia as chief of the tourism field.

Wardiyanto said in the discussion on sub regional ASEAN cooperation Indonesia had proposed an IMT-GT Tourism Working Group meeting to be held in Palembang, South Sumatra, in mid March 2012 prior to the IMT-GT Summit to be held in April 2012.

In addition, he said at the discussion Indonesia also reported the preliminary results of ASEAN Tourism Forum 2012 in which the number of participants of travel exchange (travex) to be held on January 13-15 had exceeded the target of 1,400 participants.

"A total of 1,413 people have confirmed a plan to take part in the event. The number of travex participants is likely to increase," he said. (*)

Editor: Kunto Wibisono
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