KUALA LUMPUR, 3 April 2025: Incumbent ASEANTA president Eddy Soemawilaga has been appointed for a second term to lead the association that covers ASEAN’s tourism and hospitality segments across the 10-country bloc.
ASEANTA recently appointed its executive board for 2025 to 2027 during its annual general meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
During his first term as President (2023 to 2025), ASEANTA successfully earned the trust to organise TRAVEX at the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) in Lao PDR (2024) and Malaysia (2025).
ATF and its trade show TRAVEX, established in 1982 in Kuala Lumpur, was created as a public-private partnership event to foster collaboration between ASEAN National Tourism Organizations (NTOs) and the private sector, strengthening the ASEAN region as a single tourism destination.
“Beyond ATF, we have also laid the foundation for key ASEAN NTO initiatives, including the Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Tourism Professionals and the launch of the ASEAN Explorer Pass,” Soemawilaga said in a Facebook post.
“I am truly honoured to have been re-elected President for the 2025-2027 term… My vision is to build an effective, impactful organisation that delivers concrete initiatives benefiting our members and the broader public through strong partnerships. The road ahead may not be easy, but with continued collaboration, I am confident we can overcome challenges and drive ASEAN tourism forward.”
ASEANTA board of directors 2025-2027
President: Eddy Soemawilaga, Head of Government Relations and Corporate Communications – Indonesia AirAsia.
Deputy President: Mariegel Manotok, Philippine Travel Agencies Association
Secretary-General: Nigel Wong Chun Teim, Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents
Treasurer: Datin Christina Toh, Malaysian Association of Hotels
Directors: Pauline Suharno, president ASTINDO: Oknha Chhay Sivlin, president Cambodia Association of Travel Agents; Kyaw Bohne Naing, chairman/president Union of Myanmar Travel Association
