ASEAN Member States Convene Regional Consultation to Strengthen Cooperation in Health and Wellness Tourism Development
Almost 80 representatives from nine ASEAN countries—including SME policymakers, members of the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (ACCMSME), National Tourism Organizations, and medical and spa industry leaders—convened in Bangkok for the “Regional Policy Consultation on Health and Wellness Tourism in ASEAN” from 27 to 28 May 2025. The consultation was supported by the Government of Japan through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) and was co-organized by the Office of SMEs Promotion (OSMEP), ACCMSME, and Kenan Foundation Asia.
The regional consultation is part of the project “Resilience, Adaptability and Competitiveness: A Roadmap for the Health and Wellness Tourism Sector ASEAN SMEs in a Post-Crisis Age.” The initiative aims to strengthen ASEAN’s position as a collaborative, high-potential region for health and wellness tourism while advancing inclusive and sustainable regional growth through enhanced cooperation among public, private, and development partners.
This initiative demonstrates JAIF’s ongoing commitment to advancing ASEAN’s inclusive development agenda. Support from the JAIF Management Team (JMT) was instrumental in enabling the consultation, reinforcing the value of regional dialogue and collaboration. The JMT also emphasises the need for clearly defined policy objectives to guide coordinated action and ensure alignment with ASEAN’s long-term strategic vision.
