The 18th General Assembly of the East Asia Tourism Inter-Regional Federation (EATOF) has begun in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, focusing on the theme “Bridging Global and Local.” This annual event aims to boost cooperation and innovation among East Asian regions, opening new doors for tourism development.
Cebu, a member of EATOF, is represented in this event by a delegation led by Vice Governor Hilario Davide III. He is joined by Board Members Glenn Anthony Soco, Ricardo “Kuya Nick” Pepito, Raymond Calderon, Jiembo Borgonia, and Tourism Officer Maria Lester Ybañez.
In his welcome speech, Governor Munkhbaatar Demberel of Tuv, Mongolia, highlighted EATOF’s role in enhancing inter-regional collaboration. He stressed the importance of practical steps to achieve these goals.
“I hope that our joint activities will deepen, and as a result of the decisions made at this conference, we will open new avenues for jointly developing tourism between our regions,” Governor Demberel said.
The host province, Tuv, offers a perfect setting for this key event, symbolizing the blend of local heritage and global ambitions.
As the assembly continues, attendees will engage in discussions and networking sessions aimed at creating innovative tourism strategies and strengthening the ties between member regions.
Notable attendees include EATOF Secretary Kim Sang Young; Jeong Kwang-Yeol, Deputy Governor of the Independent Special Gangwon Province, Republic of Korea; Kamei Kazuyoshi, Vice Governor of Tottori Prefecture, Japan; Vi Ngoc Bich, Vice Chairman of the People’s Congress of Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam; Paku Alam X, Deputy Governor of Yogyakarta Province, Indonesia; YB Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts of Sarawak, Malaysia; Ngov Sengkak, Deputy Governor of Siem Reap Province, Cambodia; and Soudaphone Khomthavong, Head of the Department of Information, Culture, and Tourism of Luang Prabang, Laos.
Vice Gov. Davide is also expected to accept, in a turn over ceremony, Cebu’s hosting of EATOF’s 2025 Standing Committee Meeting and 2026 General Assembly — the latter being Cebu’s second stint as it also hosted the EATOF General Assembly in September 2011 during Gov. Gwen Garcia’s third term in office. |via Paula Mendoza