Tourism ministers from countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) stressed co-operation among SAARC's members to boost the intra- regional tourism in a meeting Friday in Colombo.

Addressing the press conference held after the meeting, Sri Lanka Investment Promotion and Tourism Minister Anura Bandaranaike said the purpose of this meeting was to continue with the efforts toward the development of tourism in South Asia.

"By doing so, we are fulfilling a long-felt need for increased co-operation not only to promote tourism within South Asia but also to project South Asia as an emerging and dynamic tourist destination," he said.

SAARC Chamber of Commerce President Macky Hashim stressed the importance and significance of coordinated efforts to attract more tourists to the region, and also briefed on abundant tourist resorts in these countries during the meeting.

The joint communique issued following the meeting noted that simplification of procedures and other formalities will enormously facilitate travel within the region based on the recognition that the future development of tourism largely depends on the level of cooperation in transportation.

SAARC members also agree to work on improvement of accessibility within the region through well structured projects and packages, and to reap the maximum benefits from the areas of culture and heritage, adventure tourism and other tourism products in a sustainable manner, said the communique.

SAARC countries resolve to forge ahead with strategies for proactive joint campaign to prompt inter and intra-regional tourism which shall reap mutual benefits to all the countries in the region, thus bring in economic, social and cultural dividens to the people, said the communique.

Six tourism minister from Sri Lanka, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Buthan and Bangladesh and the Pakistan Tourism Development managing director were present at the meeting with participation of travel agents, hoteliers, travel allied organizations from these countries.

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established when its Charter was formally adopted on Dec. 8, 1985, by the heads of state or government of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

SAARC provides a platform for the peoples of South Asia to work together in a spirit of friendship, trust and understanding. It aims to accelerate the process of economic and social development in the member states.

At the 12th SAARC Summit held in Islamabad in January 2004, the year 2005 was declared as the " South Asian Tourism Year."

Source: Xinhua