ASEANTA Launches Tourism Awards and ‘Discover ASEAN’ Travel Platform, a twin announcement on ASEAN Day 2025 that puts Southeast Asia’s evolving travel scene in the spotlight. Revealed at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, the initiatives—one celebrating industry excellence, the other simplifying trip planning—aim to make regional travel more inspiring, more connected, and far easier to navigate for visitors from around the world.
The first initiative, the 39th ASEANTA Tourism Award, carries the theme “Promoting Unity, Creativity & Excellence in Southeast Asian Tourism.” It is designed to champion the ideas and people shaping how travelers experience the region—from grassroots cultural projects to big-ticket marketing campaigns. This regional accolade invites entries from national tourism organizations, airlines, hotels, tour operators, and content creators across the ten ASEAN member states. Submissions are open until 31 October 2025, with winners to be celebrated during the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2026 in Cebu, Philippines, in January—timed perfectly for peak travel planning and industry networking.
What the new awards will recognize
The award slate spans 12 categories that reflect the breadth of travel in Southeast Asia. Storytelling takes center stage in Best Travel Article, while Best Tourism Photo honors images that encapsulate the region’s color, textures, and energy. The Best Airline Programme recognizes initiatives that improve connectivity and customer experience, a crucial point for multi-country itineraries. Cruising, a growing niche in the region, gets space with Best Cruise Programme, and accommodations are well represented by Best Hotel Package and Best Eco-Lodge, the latter highlighting low-impact stays in natural settings. Rounding out the list are Best Sustainability Programme, Best New Tourism Attraction, Best Marketing & Promotional Programme, Best Cultural Preservation, Best Convention Centre, and Best Tour Operator. Together, these categories map the full journey—from inspiration to booking, from arrival to unforgettable moments—offering travelers a helpful shorthand for what’s new, responsible, and worth seeking out.
In remarks at the launch, Ni Luh Puspa, Deputy Minister of Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia, welcomed the initiative as a way to “strengthen ASEAN’s shared identity and unlock greater opportunities for collaboration,” emphasizing how travel can bind the region through culture and exchange. ASEANTA President Eddy Krismeidi Soemawilaga called the dual rollout a signal of collective ambition “to recover, to grow, and to lead,” and thanked AirAsia MOVE for helping turn the digital vision into reality.
Meet ‘Discover ASEAN’: a mobile gateway to the region
Running alongside the awards is the ‘Discover ASEAN’ Microsite, a mobile-first travel hub accessible via the MOVE app’s homepage. Think of it as a pocket guide curated for real-world use: country-by-country spotlights on food, culture, and signature experiences; practical summaries of travel requirements; links to official immigration websites; and verified health and safety guidance. The editorial backbone draws from ASEAN’s official tourism website, with confirmations by each country’s National Tourism Organisation—important for travelers who value accuracy over hearsay when planning multi-border trips.
The microsite’s advantage is not just information density; it’s the way it connects that information to action. Within the MOVE app, travelers can jump from reading about a night market in Bangkok or an eco-retreat in Sabah to booking flights, hotels, and on-the-ground services in a few taps. For first-time visitors, that reduces friction. For repeat visitors plotting two- or three-country routes, it helps stitch the region together—with trusted details replacing guesswork and outdated forum threads.
Why this matters to travelers beyond Southeast Asia
For readers in the US, UK, and other long-haul markets, Southeast Asia often appears as a mosaic of bucket-list icons—Halong Bay, Angkor, Bali—punctuated by vibrant cities and island getaways. The new awards can guide you toward standouts that might otherwise be hard to spot: an eco-lodge with local conservation credentials, a new museum or heritage experience, or a tour operator crafting deeper community links. Equally, the ‘Discover ASEAN’ hub serves those building longer itineraries with multiple stops. Because each country’s entry rules, fees, and forms change at different times, verified links and concise summaries are invaluable when you’re connecting, say, Singapore to Penang to Siem Reap in a single trip.
Travelers who prioritize sustainability may find the awards’ focus on environmental stewardship and cultural preservation especially useful. Whether you’re comparing eco-lodges in rainforest settings or choosing between cruise routes that engage coastal communities, recognition at a regional level provides a helpful signal of quality and intent. And for business travelers and event planners, categories like Best Convention Centre point toward venues that marry service, technology, and sustainability—important as meetings and conferences increasingly seek greener operations.
The bigger picture: recovery, innovation, and connection
The timing speaks to travel’s forward momentum. After years of stop-start rules, Southeast Asia is leaning into digital tools and collaborative projects to make cross-border journeys smoother. The Discover ASEAN Microsite is one expression of that shift, placing official, verified information a tap away while meeting travelers where they already are—on mobile. The awards are another, encouraging friendly competition and lifting up models that other destinations can adapt. Together, they underscore how the region is coordinating around common goals: sustainable growth, cultural exchange, and a better traveler experience.
For on-the-ground travel planning, consider using the microsite as a jumping-off point for a themed route—street food and contemporary art through Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, a nature circuit from Borneo to Palawan, or a heritage trail linking Luang Prabang, Hội An, and George Town. Because content is verified by National Tourism Organisations, it’s a solid way to double-check hours, seasonal closures, and local etiquette alongside inspiration. And if the awards spotlight a new attraction or eco-stay that aligns with your interests, you can add it to your route with more confidence.
The launch drew leaders from the ASEAN Secretariat, Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, AirAsia MOVE, national tourism associations, ASEANTA board members, and regional media—an audience that reflects the cooperative spirit behind the projects. With entries open now and a ceremony set for January in Cebu, travelers can expect a fresh list of standouts early in 2026. In the meantime, the mobile hub is live and evolving, a reminder that Southeast Asia’s greatest strength for visitors has always been the variety of experiences across its countries—now connected by tools built for the way people plan and travel today.