As Asean tourism leaders met this week to discuss regional matters, observers say a common visitor visa for the bloc and aligned digital connectivity will even out tourism growth and help lagging countries like the Philippines catch up. In 2024, 20 million Chinese, 9 million South Koreans and 3 million Japanese visited the region. Buencuseso called for interconnected tourism corridors by 2030, which she said would help showcase nature-based destinations and strengthen the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ competitiveness as a single tourism destination. Tourists dressed in traditional Thai attire pose for souvenir photos at the Temple of Dawn in Bangkok on January 19. Photo: EPAAnalysts argue inherent competition among member states would make it challenging to sell the region as a unified travel destination, but an integrated visa arrangement may help promote multi-country itineraries.