APEC leaders: Regional code of tour operators to reduce risks
BEIJING. Nov 11 (Interfax) - Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) countries expect to increase tourist arrivals to 800 million people a year by 2025 and to reach one million student exchanges by 2020.
An appendix to the APEC summit declaration signed in Beijing says the leaders intended to foster tourist exchanges between regional countries to 800 million people a year by 2025 and to develop a regional code for tour operators in order to cut costs and to alleviate the uncertainty factor in tourist trips.
The forum delegates welcomed the efforts of certain economies to reduce visa barriers and to simplify immigration formalities.
The leaders of the APEC economies said they would aim to increase the number of persons using APEC business travel cards and to improve the efficiency of that system.
They also stressed their determination to enhance annual student exchanges in the APEC region to one million people and to increase the number of students from developing economies involved in student exchange programs.
