Countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion are working together to promote the subregion as a single destination for international visitors and encourage communities to enhance the environmental, social, and economic benefits of tourism.
The Tourism Working Group (TWG) provides operational leadership and technical guidance to plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate subregional activities.
In September 2017, ministers from the six member countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) endorsed the GMS Tourism Sector Strategy 2016-2025 to enable more competitive, balanced, and sustainable destination development. The Strategy sets out five strategic directions: (a) develop human resources, (b) improve tourism infrastructure, (c) enhance visitor experiences and services, (d) conduct creative marketing and promotion activities, and (e) facilitate regional travel.
Work of the GMS tourism working group has included marketing sustainable and pro-poor tourism in the subregion through the development of multi-country tour packages; training government officials and people working in the tourism industry; producing local products for sale to tourists; and preserving the ecological and cultural heritage of key tourist sites in the subregion.
The GMS Economic Cooperation Program Strategic Framework 2030 (GMS-2030) builds on the current Tourism Strategy directions. Since the subregion’s tourism industry has been severely impacted, the GMS-2030 will promote recovery efforts, such as intraregional tourism. Over the long term, GMS-2030 will support the development of higher value-added and secondary destinations, as well as strengthen human capital, connectivity infrastructure, public–private linkages, and environmental sustainability. GMS-2030 was endorsed and adopted at the 7th GMS Summit of Leaders in September 2021. It aims to provide a new setting for the development of this subregion for the next decade.
Related
• Greater Mekong Subregion Tourism Sector Strategy 2016-2025
• Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office website
Send inquiries to GMS Secretariat.
The Greater Mekong Subregion boasts of destinations that are rich in history, culture, and natural beauty.Photo: iStock.com.
The Mekong Innovative Startups in Tourism (MIST) announced the 10 companies it will support in 2018 under its Startup Accelerator Program and Market Access Program.
Photo: iStock.com
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Thailand is hosting the Mekong Tourism Forum (MTF) 2018 in Nakhon Phanom province from 26 to 29 June in collaboration with the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office. This year's forum will focus on travel trends with the theme "Transforming Travel—Transforming Lives."
International visitor arrivals in the Greater Mekong Subregion went up by 13% to 59.9 million in 2017, according to the Pacific Asia Travel Association’s Annual Tourism Monitor 2018.
This is the summary of proceedings from the 40th Meeting of the Greater Mekong Subregion Tourism Working Group (TWG-40) in Yangon, Myanmar on 4 December 2017.
Viet Nam’s poorer regions have started to benefit from a boom in tourism.
Prizes include Mekong country experiences inclusive of interregional flights and accommodations, and the Irrawaddy Dolphin Trophy. Contest rules are available at https://www.mekongtourism.org/mekongminimovie/.
The inaugural Mekong Mini Movie Festival (Mekong Minis) is offering awards across several categories for the best submission that captures the essence of daily life and travel in the Greater Mekong Subregion.
Bangkok is still the busiest aviation hub in the subregion, followed by Kunming. Photo: ADB.
The Greater Mekong Subregion is one of the fast-growing markets for air transport services today.
Langda Chea entered BookMeBus in the Market Access Program of Mekong Innovative Startups in Tourism (MIST), which helps mature startups in the Mekong region to expand into new markets. Photo courtesy of MIST.
The Mekong Business Initiative, sponsored by the Australian Government and the Asian Development Bank, is sourcing international investment and facilitating regional expansion for innovative startups.
This is the summary of proceedings from the 39th Greater Mekong Subregion Tourism Working Group Meeting (TWG-39), which was held on 5 June 2017 in Luang Prabang, Lao People's Democratic Republic.
The Tourism Sector Strategy, 2016–2025, promotes more competitive, balanced, and sustainable tourism development in the Greater Mekong Subregion.
Greater Mekong Subregion Secretariat
Regional Cooperation and Operations Coordination Division,
Southeast Asia Department, Asian Development Bank
Address: 6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong City 1550, Metro Manila, Philippines
Telephone: +63 2 8632 4444 Fax: +63 2 8636 2226
