KUALA LUMPUR: A real opportunity to boost the travel industry and promote intra-Asean tourism is evident in the region, which is expected to generate a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of US$3 trillion by 2017, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said.

At the same time, tourism will enhance appreciation of our respective cultures and heritage, he said at the launch of a dedicated travel channel for the Asean region yesterday.

The world’s first Asean travel platform, GoAsean, will be available on Astro’s Channel 737, with its first flagship show GoTravel.

“The OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) has forecast annual GDP growth for the Asean community of 5.6% for the next five years, and GoAsean is a fine example of the kind of innovation that drives growth, an initiative which will go on to provide opportunities, attract investment, and help develop and grow talent and infrastructure throughout the region,” he said in his speech at the launch of GoAsean at the All Asia Broadcast Centre here.

“There is a great opportunity here for us to share information about travel within our region,” he added.

“And in a year where the region moves towards economic integration, what better way to prove our commitment than a platform to share with each other, and the wider world, all that is truly unique and beautiful about our region.”

Najib noted that the initiative is not only about tourism and travel, as it is also about realising the vision of a people-centred Asean.

“It’s something that I believe is important to our region moving forward.

“It’s about making Asean and the ties that bind us tangible realities for the citizens of our 10 nations,” he said.

Najib said the venture began as a Malaysian initiative, as part of Malaysia’s chairmanship of Asean this year, and hopes it will further enhance cooperation among member states.

GoAsean offers multiplatform content across mobiles and online. It also includes a travel booking system at GoAsean.com, which allows users to book flights, hotels, airport transfers and tours throughout the Asean region.

The channel will also host programme content from other member states.

Najib said with its large potential, private sectors should hop on board to support and maximise this platform to reach out to the entire region.

He said with a market of over 630 million people, of which a large proportion is young and tech-savvy consumers in the Asean region, GoAsean will provide a plaform by engaging audiences on television, online and social media.

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on June 3, 2015.