dise,” “World Class Cities,” “Experience Diverse traditions,” “Sport and relaxation,” and “Diverse Contemporary Creativity.” Thus far, in tourism literature, no studies
have been done on the marketing and representation of conglomerations of destina- tions as single theme versus multi-theme touristic spaces. More research in this
aspect can be enlightening on the effi ciencies of different models of marketing the region.
1.3.1 Taxes and Visas
Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines all have departure taxes. At the borders between Singapore and Malaysia , foreign vehicles pay tolls and entry taxes. Long-
term and multiple-entry visa applications also require cash payments Erviani 2014
. While ASEAN’s fi nal objective is clear in the upcoming AEC , at the time of writing, there is no indication of how these barriers would be lifted in the spirit of
the ASEAN Economic Community 2015. On November 2001, at the seventh ASEAN summit, member countries signed a tourism agreement. Under the agree-
ment, two articles called for extending visa exemption arrangements and phasing out travel levies and travel taxes on nationals of ASEAN ASEAN
2001 . Myanmar
is one of the member countries that still requires a visa application for Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesian nationals. Meanwhile, the Philippines, Myanmar,
Cambodia, and Indonesia are cooperating to develop a “Smart Visa” for travelers. Aside from technical issues related to interoperability of a regional system, state
security and immigration requirements remain inhibiting factors for a universal visa scheme for ASEAN.
1.3.2 Common ASEAN Tourism Curriculum
Another crucial solution to the problems and issues faced by the ASEAN commu- nity is education. Part of this educational feature is the CATC, the Common ASEAN
Tourism Curriculum; it is an approved common curriculum used by tourism profes- sionals from ASEAN nations. The CATC creates a link between the regional quali-
fi cations framework and the skills recognition system Rivera and Danessa
2014 .
The concept of CATC is based on a number of other concepts, such as the Vientiane Action Plan VAP, ASEAN Tourism Agreement ATA, and the Roadmap for
Integration of Tourism Sector RITS. The CATC is a well-structured, fl exible, and industry-based curriculum; it is designed to meet the varying needs and require-
ments of the member nations. The curriculum focuses on the competencies that have been adopted by all the member nations of ASEAN. The framework of the
curriculum is industry based and includes vocations such as front offi ce, housekeep- ing, food production, food and beverage service, travel agencies, and tour
operations.
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Although a number of initiatives were taken for the marketing of tourism in the region and the promotion of intraregional activities among member states, little has
been done to understand and address hindrances to cooperation. In a region spurred by economic growth, the rising middle class of 600 million people is signifi cant in
itself in terms of ASEAN’s domestic and intraregional travel markets Wicakesena
2011 . The diversity of tropical Southeast Asia offers a rich palette of colors and
tastes to tourists. From history, culture, and nature to shopping, spas, and luxury holidays, all of these and more are available in a region that is predominately peace-
ful and stable.
1.3.3 Education and Standardization
