In a significant move to solidify the resurgence of regional travel, tourism ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Russian Federation officially adopted a new Tourism Cooperation Work Plan during their 5th annual ministerial meeting on Friday, January 30, 2026.
The comprehensive five-year strategy marks a new chapter in international partnership, focusing on four high-priority pillars:
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Strengthening Tourism Resilience: Building systems to withstand future global shifts.
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Travel Facilitation: Streamlining processes to make cross-border travel more seamless.
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Sustainable Development: Promoting eco-conscious tourism that protects local heritage.
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Digital Innovation: Leveraging technology to enhance the visitor experience.
Representing the Philippines, Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco emphasized that the foundation of the new work plan rests on trust. “The lesson of recent years is clear: for tourism to rebound and truly flourish, confidence in travel must be built through reliability,” Secretary Frasco stated.
She highlighted that the Philippines is proactively deepening its ties with the Russian market through targeted initiatives, including the support of newly-launched chartered flights from Russia to Kalibo, specialized Russian language training for Filipino tour guides, and the development of study-based travel programs.
The adoption of the work plan comes amid a sharp upward trajectory in travel figures. Data presented at the meeting revealed a robust exchange of visitors through the third quarter of 2025:
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2.1 Million: The number of Russian citizens who traveled to ASEAN member states.
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54,000: The number of visitors from ASEAN countries who traveled to the Russian Federation.
The 5th Meeting of ASEAN Plus Russian Federation Tourism Ministers concludes with a shared commitment to not only return to pre-pandemic travel levels but to redefine the quality and sustainability of the tourism experience for the next half-decade.
