ASEAN tourism ministers are meeting with their counterparts from their three dialogue partners,China, Japan and South Korea, in Malaysia's north island of Langkawa Tuesday, to step up tourism cooperation in the region.

Their meeting, part of the nine-day 24th ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) which opened on Jan. 21 at the officials level, is expected to give a lift to the tourism industry in countries still recovering from the psychological damage inflicted by the Dec. 26 tsunami.

ASEAN groups Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

This year's forum, carrying the theme "Shifting Paradigm -- Prospering the Region" is attended by some 1,000 participants who include government officials, representatives of tourism associations, buyers and sellers of products and services from Asia and other regions.

This is the fifth time Malaysia is hosting the forum, after 1981, 1987, 1992 and 1997.

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will officially open ATF 2005 at Eagle Square in Langkawa, the tourist resort.

From Wednesday, about 400 international buyers of tourism products and services are expected at the ASEAN Travel Exchange exhibition which will last for two days.

Source: Xinhua