Cebu, Philippines, 27–30 January 2026 — The Minister of Commerce and Industry Nino Pereira, attended the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2026 and related meetings held from 27 to 30 January in Cebu City, Philippines. He represented the Deputy Prime Minister, Coordinator for Economic Affairs and Minister of Tourism and Environment, H.E. Francisco Kalbuadi Lay.
The ATF is the region’s premier annual tourism gathering, bringing together ministers responsible for tourism, national tourism organizations, and representatives from the public and private sectors of ASEAN member states. The forum is part of a week-long series of ministerial, technical, and working group meetings aimed at strengthening regional cooperation, aligning policies, and advancing sustainable tourism development.
On the sidelines of the Forum, Minister Nino Pereira, accompanied by the Timor-Leste delegation, held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Satvinder Singh, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange views on Timor-Leste’s integration into ASEAN’s economic and tourism cooperation, with a focus on tourism development, investment readiness, financing mechanisms, and human capital development.
The Deputy Secretary-General welcomed Timor-Leste’s active engagement in regional tourism cooperation and highlighted the country’s preparations to host, in October 2026, the first ASEAN tourism working group meeting in Timor-Leste — a milestone in the nation’s integration process into the regional organization.
Discussions also underscored positive prospects for Timor-Leste’s tourism sector, driven by improved air connectivity, emerging opportunities in cruise tourism, and the identification of priority areas for investment in tourism infrastructure and services.
In addition, Minister Pereira held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Huot Hak, Minister of Tourism of the Kingdom of Cambodia. Both sides welcomed the strengthening of bilateral cooperation in tourism and agreed to expedite the conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding on tourism cooperation between the two countries.
The ASEAN Secretariat reaffirmed its readiness to provide technical support and work closely with Timor-Leste to advance inclusive, resilient, and sustainable tourism development.
Minister Pereira emphasized that Timor-Leste’s participation in ATF 2026 reflects the Government’s commitment to deepening cooperation with ASEAN and promoting sustainable economic growth and tourism as the newest ASEAN member state.
