ATF 2003 - A great EXO success!

The Exotissimo booth in Phnom Penh

Exotissimo were centre stage recently when Cambodia became the first nation in Indochina to host the region's premier tourism fair, the ASEAN Tourism Forum, or ATF as it is more commonly known. The forum held in Phnom Penh from 20th to 28th January coincided with the launch of "Visit Cambodia Year 2003" under the banner of "A World of Treasures". Over 1,500 delegates and invited guests from around the world attended the event and all 400 exhibitors' booths in the brand new National Cultural Centre were sold out well in advance.

A lavish open-air opening ceremony at the Samdech Hun Sen Garden with a 5-course dinner catered by the Raffles Le Royal Hotel was followed by a cultural show featuring 300 dancers and musicians and climaxed in a spectacular firework display over the Mekong River. 

For many ATF delegates the social highlight of this year's event was the Exotissimo 10th Anniversary Party held in conjunction with Victoria Hotels and Action Asia magazine at Phnom Penh's legendary Foreign Correspondents' Club. Around 250 guests including the Cambodian Minister for Tourism Mr Veng Sereyvuth, travel trade media, overseas tour operators, travel agents, regional DMCs and hotel managers partied into the early hours of Monday morning.

Exotissimo Cambodia was chosen as the official transportation organiser and pre and post show tour operator for ATF 2003 and excelled in both these with many ATF old hands commenting that the transportation services were the best ever. Hundreds of delegates took the opportunity to visit one of the world's greatest archaeological sites with post-show tours to the Angkor temples at Siem Reap. In addition Exotissimo Cambodia Managing Director Meng Hieng played a major role in the events of the week-long forum as the current President of the Cambodian Association of Travel Agents. 

Next year's ASEAN Tourism Forum will once again take place in Indochina with the Lao capital Vientiane providing the venue. We look forward to seeing you there and also hope for another EXO success!

Visa-free in ASEAN by 2005

The threat of war has proven insufficient to speed up efforts to make ASEAN totally visa-free for its nationals. The target date for this has been put back a year to 2005, as ASEAN NTOs believe more time is needed to encourage all parties to move towards visa exemption for ASEAN nationals. Roughly 80 per cent of the region is already visa-free for its nationals, including arrangements made bilaterally or trilaterally among ASEAN countries. For countries such as Myanmar, Laos, Indonesia, Vietnam and Cambodia, visa fees represent revenues. The current focus on safety and security in the region also means tourism has to strike a fair balance in granting visas freely, according to an ASEAN secretariat official. The move towards visa exemption is part of the ASEAN Tourism Agreement formalised last November.

PB Air to fly flag for Danang route

Phu Quoc floats high speed ferry