APEC ministers discuss tourism as 'growth engine' of economy+

NARA, Japan, Sept. 22 Kyodo -
Top tourism officials from a score of Pacific Rim countries on Wednesday began
exploring ways to promote tourism as their ''growth engine,'' but discussions
at the two-day meeting are likely to be clouded by a row over a chain of
disputed islands between Japan and China, Asia's two biggest economies.
Representatives of the 21 members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
forum gathered in the ancient city of Nara aiming to produce the ''Nara
Declaration on Tourism'' at the end of the gathering and reaffirm the need to
strengthen ties among them to increase the number of travelers, which has been
hit by the global financial crisis since the fall of 2008.
Japanese Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Sumio Mabuchi
said in his opening remarks that tourism has ''the potential to impact the
revitalization of the regional economy and employment,'' and ''the sustainable
growth of this industry is of paramount importance.''
''I hope we can translate our strong resolve into the Nara Declaration, so that
we can jointly take one step forward,'' he said in the western Japan city,
which is celebrating the 1,300th anniversary of the relocation of the ancient
capital to the city.
The biennial meeting, first held in Seoul in 2000, comes ahead of an annual
APEC summit meeting to be held in Yokohama in November and would serve as input
to developing APEC's growth strategy.
It also comes amid growing tension between Japan and China, both APEC members,
which was triggered by collisions between a Chinese fishing boat and Japan
Coast Guard vessels off the disputed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.
The row has led to cancellations of travel, music concerts and other cultural
and governmental exchanges between the two countries. Last week, a Chinese
company announced it has canceled a planned visit to Japan by 10,000 of its
employees and others.
Beijing has called on Tokyo to release the captain of the Chinese boat who was
arrested on a charge of obstructing official duty and has been detained in
Japan.
Over the developments, Mabuchi said Tuesday he declined to meet with Zhu
Shangzhong, vice chairman of the China National Tourism Administration, who was
scheduled to make a courtesy call to the newly appointed Japanese minister
during the event. On Wednesday, China's delegates to the APEC tourism meeting
told Japanese officials that they will skip a reception hosted by Mabuchi later
in the day.
Participants reported on the current state of the industry in their economies
and various measures they are taking to attract tourists from the morning
session.
Japan has designated tourism as a key to rebuilding the country's economy and
has enacted a law to promote a tourism-oriented country. In its new growth
strategy revealed in June, the Japanese government set the goal of raising the
annual number of travelers to Japan to 25 million by early 2020 and eventually
to 30 million.
==Kyodo
2010-09-22 19:36:33