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.

• Cambodia's Ministry of Tourism launched the digital campaign, "Every Day is a Wonder," via a website to promote the country as a destination for international leisurely travel
• The People's Republic of China (PRC) launched various apps and applets, including
  
  • Yunnan at Your Fingertips, which provides English service for inbound tourists and various information covering the whole trip, such as 682 scenic spots and 129 bus stations
  • China-Laos Railway Tour (applet)
  • Traveling in Northeast Thailand (applet).
• Lao PDR’s Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism (MICT) launched several smart tourism and digital initiatives with the private sector, including
  
  • 8booking, a tourism platform with a reservation system
  • Laos-China Railway (LCR) application, a mobile phone ticketing app for the Lao PDR-PRC railway
  • Audio Tour for Buddha Park, available in eight languages
  • Lao Bus Navi, a Vientiane bus tracking system for real time bus schedules
  • Online submission for application of licenses for tourism businesses.
• Myanmar is marketing its tourism on major social media channels and websites.
• Thailand's smart tourism and digital initiatives include
  
  • The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)'s Digital Action Plan 2023-2027
  • e-Learning for tourism businesses focusing on increasing their marketing skills
  • Thailand Connex, a platform connecting tourism operators with online travel agencies (OTAs) of Thai startups and OTAs operating around the world
  • Carbon footprint database for hotels and accommodations project
  • Thailand Tourism Directory, provides tourism information available in Thai, English, and Chinese
  • Tourism Intelligence Center, collects information related to tourism sector from government agencies and private sector, and uses the information for data management planning and creating the country’s tourism development policy.
• Viet Nam is developing digital communication channels on social media and websites for promotion, including
  
  • Viet Nam tourism website
  • Smart Travel Card, a project between Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism and the Department of e-Commerce, and Digital Economy, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade, which enables tourists to make non-cash payments for tourism activities.

GMS-2030 promotes inclusive digitalization and the use of advanced technologies in all GMS Program activities and projects. With COVID-19 acting as a catalyst in the digital transformation of GMS countries, digital readiness to date has successfully played a crucial role in some GMS countries in efforts to contain the virus. It has also provided some countries the potential to maintain a relatively open economy during the pandemic. Download the GMS Digital Economy Cooperation Initiative publication.

TWG-51, held on 25 April 2023 in Preah Sihanouk, Cambodia, shared updates from GMS countries, including key 2020-2022 tourism statistics (international and domestic visitors, tourism spending and employment); tourism visa/entry policy updates, and prioritized markets in 2023; smart tourism/digital initiatives to improve tourism management and marketing; and GMS tourism cooperation activities. Read the Summary of Proceedings.