The ASEAN Tourism Association (ASEANTA) has launched two initiatives to mark ASEANTA Day 2025 in Jakarta on August 8, 2025.
The launch of the 39th ASEANTA Tourism Awards, themed Promoting Unity, Creativity & Excellence in Southeast Asian Tourism, and the Discover ASEAN microsite, a digital travel platform, aims to expand tourism opportunities in ASEAN member countries.
Eddy Krismeidi, ASEANTA president, stated the initiatives reflected ASEANTA’s response to current tourism challenges and its readiness to capture future opportunities: “These initiatives reflect our determination to recover, innovate, and thrive.”
He said the ASEANTA Tourism Awards, now in its 39th edition, have long served as a platform to recognise the best of ASEAN tourism, from community-based initiatives to large-scale innovations in marketing, sustainability and service excellence. Registration is open until October 31, 2025, and winners will be announced at the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2026 in the Philippines.
The Discover ASEAN microsite is a digital travel booking platform developed by ASEANTA in collaboration with AirAsia.
“This microsite curates essential and inspiring content, ranging from culinary experiences, culture, and interesting destinations to verified immigration links and the latest travel information,” he shared.
The microsite was co-developed by Move in collaboration with the ASEAN Secretariat and is accessible via the Move app’s homepage. It features recommendations on food, culture and destinations across ASEAN member countries, alongside verified travel requirements, links to official immigration websites, and up-to-date health and safety guidelines.
Yizhen Fung, head of strategic partnership at AirAsia Move, shared: “The Discover ASEAN (microsite) serves three objectives. The first is to involve by offering trusted, up-to-date travel requirements across ASEAN member countries, including links to the official websites of the immigration departments of each ASEAN member country.
“The second is to inspire through curated recommendations showcasing gastronomic nature, cultural and wellness attractions of each Asian country. To this end, we are very grateful for the support of the ASEAN secretariat for letting us draw our content from the official tourism website of ASEAN.”
As for the third objective, Fung said it was to include smaller towns and communities by connecting them to travellers alongside major cities and tourist spots, helping to boost their local economies.
Indonesia’s deputy minister of tourism, Ni Luh Puspa, said: “The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism is proud to welcome ASEANTA’s initiative to launch the programme on ASEAN Day.
“As one of the region’s leading tourism destinations, we fully support this joint initiative to strengthen ASEAN’s shared identity and unlock greater opportunities for collaboration. Let us inspire more travellers to explore what makes our region vibrant, diverse, and united.”
Ni Luh also expressed the ministry’s interest in linking its official website, Indonesia.travel, to the microsite.
