Environmental conservation, local economic empowerment, and the protection of cultural heritage towards global peace were among the main focus during the recently held Sustainable Tourism Conference. The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) in a statement tonight said the conference was held in conjunction with the 2024 World Tourism Day, themed 'Tourism and Peace'. "This conference featured international and local speakers who shared their views, ideas, and expertise on practices, innovative strategies, and the latest developments in sustainable tourism in line with the advancements in digital technology," said the statement. MOTAC said the conference's knowledge-sharing session discussed community based tourism, urban and rural tourism, and their connection to peace as well as the latest policies related to the tourism industry. Over 300 representatives of ministries, industry players, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) participated in the conference, thus reflecting the level of awaren ess and public sensitivity towards the importance of sustainable practices in every value chain of the national tourism industry. According to the statement, the collaboration between MOTAC and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei Darussalam, as well as the Tourism Productivity Nexus (TPN) in organising the conference demonstrates Malaysia's commitment to driving the sustainable development agenda at the international level, particularly in anticipation of the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025 and Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign, in line with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2030. Source: BERNAMA News Agency