Minister Hoang Tuan Anh told the Daily on Sunday that the organizing committee would organize a tourism conference under the theme of Ecological Sea Tourism in ATF 2009, which will go under the theme "ASEAN Tourism - Striving for A New Height".

"We see the forum as a chance to promote the country's tourism to foreigners and will use Halong Bay as a strong point for the theme," he told the Daily after presiding a meeting last week in Hanoi to prepare for the forum, which will take place in the city from January 5 to 12, 2009.

Anh said that in the meeting, the committee would organize sea tours for the forum's participants.

"This is a big change to promote potentials, and a beautiful image of the country's sea tourism to tourism officials and international travel companies," he said.

The regional forum will comprise official meetings such as ASEAN tourism task forces, meetings of ASEAN tourism ministers, and meetings of these ministers with partners from China, South Korea, and Japan. In addition, there will also be meetings of ASEAN airlines among other activities.

During the forum, the TRAVEX tourism fair will also take place at the Vietnam Exhibition Fair Center in the capital city. This is the first time the country organizes the annual forum of the ASEAN tourism sector.

The organizing committee estimates 1,500 international participants will join the event, including around 400 international tour operators, and travel agents, and other media organizations from around the World.

At the forum there will be some joint declarations, and project the ASEAN's tourism development.

The forum's organizing committee has established eight sub-committees for the forum. The first activities to prepare for ATF 2009 started in the ATF 2008 that took place in Thailand's Bangkok this January.

All visitors who want to see contents and detailed programs of ATF 2009 can visit the forum's official website at: http://www.atf2009vietnam.com