Tourism is one of the key industries in the respective ASEAN member states. The ASEAN member states are enriched with attractive tourism destinations that include renowned resorts surrounded by breathtaking nature and historical places that are designated as World Heritage sites.

In addition, having very little time difference with Japan, ASEAN countries are popular destinations for Japanese tourists as one can casually enjoy overseas travel. As a result, more than 4.6 million Japanese tourists visit the ASEAN member states every year.

Meanwhile, as the middle class has expanded with ASEAN's economic growth, Japan today has become a popular tourist destination among people from the ASEAN region. This trend has been accelerated by the emergence of low-cost carriers and changing lifestyles. The number of member state visitors to Japan tripled over five years to more than 1.6 million in 2014.