The project commenced in 2006 and ended in 2008.

The main objectives included:

• developing Asian sustainable tourism and diversified tourism products coherent to the socio-economic local system
• enhancing the Asian capabilities and strategies in exporting quality and sustainable tourism into the European market
• developing of EU-Asia integrated and permanent co-operation between tourism relevant actors at different levels
• raising awareness about the profitable economic impact of tourism within the socio-economic framework of Asian partner countries (Vietnam, Mongolia and Nepal).

In July 2008, this project involved a 15-day mission to Vietnam, during which Professor Novelli produced a report on the 'State of the art of tourism development in the Thai Nguyen province' in north-west Vietnam. The report assessed the feasibility of tourism development and identified investment opportunity for the regional tourism market to be used by local government and EU Asia Invest for reference.

In September 2008, Professor Novelli designed and delivered a tourism product development train-the-trainers programme, which was delivered in Kathmandu (Nepal) to a cohort of 33 professionals from the tourism private and public sector. The programme was mainly centred on destination regeneration, product diversification and niche tourism, which is a core specialism in our group.