KOTA KINABALU, 10 April 2025: ASEAN-bassed travel associations and AirAsia are co-leading an initiative to introduce a new regional travel show hosted in Kota Kinabalu this June.
The ASEAN Travel Exchange (ATEX) 2025 website, ASEAN Travel Exchange (ATEX) 2025, is now live and accepting registrations as the new, private sector-led initiative takes shape.
ATEX 2025 is scheduled to debut in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, from 19 to 21 June 2025. The timing is noteworthy as Malaysia holds the ASEAN chairmanship in 2025.
ATEX 2025 is a collaborative initiative spearheaded by key regional tourism bodies. The co-leaders establishing the new trade show comprise the ASEAN Tourism Association (ASEANTA), the Federation of ASEAN Travel Associations (FATA), the Malaysia Association of Tour & Travel Agents (MATTA), and the AirAsia Group. Sabah’s Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment will host the inaugural event in Kota Kinabalu and adopt a support role in the organisational framework.
The core business objectives of ATEX 2025 include establishing a private sector-driven B2B platform for the Southeast Asian travel industry, promoting Sabah as a significant tourism destination, aligning with the ASEAN Protocol 5 on airline stopover rights to enhance regional connectivity, fostering greater collaboration among tourism stakeholders, and engaging with crucial international markets such as China and India.
Recognising the importance of attracting visitors from beyond the immediate ASEAN region, ATEX 2025 has set a specific target of hosting 230 buyers from key international markets, including Southeast Asia, China, and India. The event should also attract 500 travel trade executives from ASEAN, China, and India to engage in 23 networking hours. According to the event’s website, a conference on the sidelines of the trade show has recruited six speakers.
ATEX is set to become an annual event that ideally rotates alphabetically between the 10 ASEAN member countries. The initiative’s leaders stress that the show will complement government-led efforts like the ASEAN Tourism Forum and its Travex component. However, it will funded entirely by the private sector and led by the region’s travel associations along with the AirAsia Group. Once the event begins an annual rotation of ASEAN’s 10 member countries, the host country’s local travel agency association will join the organising committee as a co-leader and the host country’s national tourism office as a supporting partner.
ATEX 2025’s alignment with key initiatives such as the ASEAN Protocol 5 on Own Stopover Rights will enhance regional connectivity. By promoting multi-destination travel and making it easier for tourists to explore various ASEAN countries, the event can contribute to a more integrated and appealing tourism experience for visitors.
The inaugural show will be held at the Magellan Sutera Resort, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, from 19 to 21 June,
