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
Focal Persons at the Asian Development Bank
Steven Schipani
Water and Urban Development Sector Office
Sectors Group
Dee Suvimol Thanasarakij (Ms.)
Executive Director,
Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office
www.mekongtourism.org
Other Concerned Staff & Consultants
Asadullah Sumbal
Regional Cooperation and Integration Unit
Southeast Asia Department
Alma Canarejo
Regional Cooperation and Integration Unit
Southeast Asia Department/GMS Secretariat
Send inquiries to GMS Secretariat.
The development of night markets in three towns along the Mekong River aims to help revitalize the Greater Mekong Subregion and reduce poverty. Photo credit: Javier Coloma Brotons.
A pilot project has developed night markets in selected border towns in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) to take advantage of the economic opportunities opened by infrastructure projects in the area.
Khamking Koemany is a homestay provider on Don Khon Island, one of the popular sites for tourists visiting the Four Thousand Islands group on the Mekong River in Champasack Province. His business has flourished since he received training in tourism services under the GMS Sustainable Tourism Development Project. Photo: ADB.
Blessed with rich natural resources and a strategic location at the heart of the Greater Mekong Subregion, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic has emerged from decades of turmoil and isolation to become one of the fastest growing economies in Southeast Asia since 2011.
Cambodia has long stretches of pristine beaches. However, tourism is highly concentrated in the area around the temples of Angkor. To spread the economic benefits of tourism, the Asian Development Bank is helping the Ministry of Tourism promote coastal tourism by improving infrastructure and environmental management.
Thailand plans to limit the number of visitors to natural attractions such as the Mekong and Chao Phraya rivers.
Tourist attractions in the Mandalay region include the more than 2,000 temples and pagodas in the ancient city of Bagan. Photo: iStock.com.
The 2020 Mekong Tourism Forum will be held in Mandalay, one of Myanmar’s top tourist destinations.
Ferry services between Kampot in Cambodia and Phu Quoc Island (in photo), a leading tourist attraction in Viet Nam, are expected to promote tourism as well as benefit residents and local businesses in the Southern Coastal Subcorridor. Photo: iStock.com.
An international seaport project in Southern Cambodia will serve as a gateway for direct ferry services to Viet Nam and later to other destinations in the Gulf of Thailand. The fast ferry services are expected to boost tourism in the Southern Coastal Subcorridor of the Greater Mekong Subregion.
The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple in Dali. Photo: Deng Jia/ADB.
The Mekong Tourism Forum 2019 will be held at Dali City in Yunnan province of the People's Republic of China from 28 to 29 May 2019.
The Greater Mekong Subregion Tourism Working Group held its 43rd meeting in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China, on 27 May 2019.
This is the summary report of the steering committee meeting on the Greater Mekong Subregion Tourism Infrastructure for Inclusive Growth Project held in Viet Nam on 5 December 2018.
This is the summary of proceedings from the 42nd Meeting of the Greater Mekong Subregion Tourism Working Group (TWG-42) in Viet Nam on 4 December 2018.
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