Tourism Working Group (TWG) Events

 

 

The Tourism Working Group (TWG) comprises senior officials from the national tourism organizations of the six countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion. It serves as the advisory body to the Bangkok-based Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) and provides operational leadership and technical guidance to plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate subregional activities.

The working group meets at least twice a year.

MTCO serves as the secretariat for TWG, the MTCO Board, and the annual Mekong Tourism Forum.

 

The Viet - Smart Tourist Card. Photo by Viet Nam Tourism website

GMS Countries Roll Out Various Smart Tourism and Digital Initiatives

The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Economic Cooperation Program Strategic Framework 2030 (GMS-2030) emphasizes new possibilities opened by digitalization. At the recently held 51st GMS Tourism Working Group Meeting (TWG-51), GMS countries highlighted various digital initiatives they are implementing, which are helping boost their tourism markets and improve visitor management.

51st Meeting of the Greater Mekong Subregion Tourism Working Group (TWG-51)

The 51st GMS Tourism Working Group Meeting (TWG-51) was held on 25 April 2023 in Preah Sihanouk, Cambodia. It was hosted by the Government of Cambodia and co-organized by the Cambodia Ministry of Tourism, and the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO). The meeting was attended by senior and mid-level officials representing the National Tourism Organizations of the six GMS countries, MTCO, development partners and organizations, including the ASEAN Japan Centre, Asian Development Bank (ADB) and private sector, including China Ready. 


The Kim Thanh International Border Gate between Lao Cai (Viet Nam) and Yunnan Province (PRC) plays a vital role in the GMS northern corridor. Photo by ADB.

AEIR 2023 Highlights Deepening Integration, Continued Economic Growth in the GMS

The Asian Economic Integration Report 2023 highlights the continued growth of integration in subregional initiatives and programs in Southeast Asia, including both in the GMS and the ASEAN, from 2006 to 2020.

Mekong Tourism Forum 2023

The annual Mekong Tourism Forum returns as an in-person event in Preah Sihanouk Province, Cambodia, on 25–27 April 2023. Hosted by the Ministry of Tourism, Kingdom of Cambodia, the Forum’s theme is “Rethinking for Resilience and Digitalization.” 

The Forum provides an interactive platform for regional tourism stakeholders to discuss critical issues and emerging trends, rethink the future of Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) tourism, exchange insights and experiences, as well as reconnect face-to-face with each other.  

Mekong Tourism Forum 2022

The Mekong Tourism Forum 2022 (MTF 2022) was held in Quang Nam, Hoi An, Viet Nam, on 12 – 13 October 2022, attended by over 250 delegates from across the region. It was hosted by Viet Nam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in collaboration with the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) and supported by the Asian Development Bank. The MTF 2022 followed the 50th Meeting of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Tourism Working Group and the MTCO Board Meeting.  

Cambodia Welcomed Close to 1.6 Million Foreign Tourists before End of 2022

Cambodia has welcomed over 1.57 million international visitors during the first ten months of 2022, according to the latest report of the country’s Ministry of Tourism. The number of foreign tourists grew by 991.1% compared to the same period in 2021. According to data, tourist arrivals are as follows: around 1 million by land, around 560,000 by air, and 10,000 by waterway. 

Pages