Dear Mekong Tourism stakeholder,
Lat week, MTCO was invited to present at the "GMS Agricultural Cooperation Summit", organized by ADB, part of the Greater Mekong Subregion Cooperation framework. Combining Tourism and Agriculture opens up big opportunities. As tourism increases, food production also needs to increase. But positioning the region as one of the world’s most exciting culinary tourism destination. And agro tourism is a new trend that could help small businesses and farmers to benefit from to tourism. Finally, food souvenirs such as coffee, teas, dried fish, spices, etc bring revenues but also promote the destination to potential tourists. Huge potential, great discussions, and universal agreement to collaborate and "combine forces". Very exciting! Join our food tourism session at Mekong Tourism Forum in Luang Prabang in June to further the discussion.
Registration is OPEN for Mekong Tourism Forum 2017, "Prosper with Purpose". Please promote MTF 2017 by adding a banner to your website or blog.
On behalf of our hosts, the Ministry of Information, Culture, & Tourism, Lao PDR and the Department of Information, Culture, & Tourism, Luang Prabang, Mekong Tourism invites you to register. The capacity for the breakthrough sessions are limited so register early to secure a spot in the sessions you are most interested in. MTF 2017 program.
Anybody who is already registered can download our new MTF 2017 Mobile App. Simply download the "Presdo Match" app in the Apple or Android stores, and search for "Mekong Tourism Forum", and then sign in with your credentials after registering at http://www.mekongtourismforum.org/index.php/tickets/. Besides the agenda, post tours, partners, and relevant MTF information, the mobile app will enable MTF 2017 delegates to network, chat, and set up meetings during the event.
While last week was busy with the WTTC Summit in Bangkok, and lecturing at the ADB-sponsored tourism management training program at Guilin Tourism University, we are excited to have our first MIST Forum in Siem Reap from May 5-7 to support tourism startups in the CLMV countries. Find out more and join us by visiting Mist.asia.
We look forward to hearing from you as always, and hope you enjoy this week's newsletter. And remember: sharing is caring.
Have a great week!
Jens Thraenhart
Executive Director, MTCO
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News & Articles of the Fortnight
News & articles that caught our attention over the past week:
Thailand’s PM, Deputy PM Preside over WTTC Summit
Both the Thai Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister appeared at this global event ... Read more about it.
Cambodia Seeks Heritage Status for Three Cities
Cambodia has asked UNESCO to recognise Battambang, Kratie and Kampot as world heritage cities to help develop tourism ... Read more about it.
Luang Prabang in Laos cleans up
Luang Prabang must keep a constant vigil over trash, writes Mekong Tourism Contributor Bernie Rosenbloom for We Are Laos ... Read more about it.
Top Myanmar Beach Destinations to Watch
Four of Myanmar’s beach destinations are emerging as new exotic tropical getaway spots according to Mekong Tourism Contributor Bill Barnett of C9 ... Read more about it.
Stakeholders Share Thoughts about MTF 2017
Mekong Tourism Forum storytellers Simon Louvard and Léa Mellon ask MTF stakeholders and organisers about the upcoming event ... Read more about it.
Is Vietnam Tourism Over- or Under-Developed?
While some economists say that Vietnam has too many hotels and resorts, others believe that tourism infrastructure is inadequate compared with the rest of the world ... Read more about it.
Yunnan to clean up tourism industry
Yunnan province will introduce 22 measures to clean up the local tourism industry ... Read more about it.
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Recent Additions to the Mekong Tourism e-Library
Travel & Tourism Economic Impact 2017 South East Asia
"The outlook for the travel & tourism sector in 2017 remains robust ... despite the emergence of a number of challenging headwinds." -- David Scowsill, President & CEO, World Travel & Tourism Council in the foreword of WTTC's latest economic impact report ... Download for free.
An Overview of Large-Scale Investments in the GMS
Across the Mekong region, ‘development’ has become synonymous with rapid economic growth, to be achieved through predominantly large-scale, private investments. The region's governments prioritise trade and investment liberalisation, and privatisation ... Download for free.
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How to Collaborate with Mekong Tourism
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Contribute Your Tourism Expertise
Subject matter experts, such as consultants, executives, and industry journalists, who are active in GMS travel & tourism, are eligible to become “Mekong Tourism Experts“. In return for regular (non-exclusive) business-, trade- or policy-related content, Experts will receive a range of profile-enhancing benefits ... View and register.
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Tell Your Mekong Travel Stories
MTCO welcomes anyone with a passion for storytelling who wishes to share their unique and unusual travel experiences: multi-destination Mekong journeys and experiences linked to social, cultural, or environmental causes. In return for regular content, Storytellers will receive a range of profile-enhancing benefits ... View and register.
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Donate to the Mekong Tourism e-Library
In addition to economic reports, statistical analyses, industry studies, and much more, the Mekong Tourism e-Library hosts contributions in the following new categories:
Multi-Country Journeys & Mekong River Cruises
Tour and cruise operators offering multi-destination tours and cruises (defined as tours or cruises that visit more than one Mekong-region country) are welcome to send their eligible itineraries in PDF format. The objective is to develop a resource for those seeking Mekong experiences for their customers (or themselves).
Tourism Development Projects
Economic development agencies (bilateral or multilateral) and non-government organisations (NGOs) are encouraged to send, in PDF format, scopes of work, terms of reference, reports, and case studies pertaining to tourism-related projects in the Mekong region. The objective is to develop a resource for all Mekong tourism stakeholders.
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Mekong Tourism is a collaborative effort between Cambodia, China, Lao, Myanmar, Thailand,
and Vietnam to promote the Greater Mekong Subregion as a single tourism destination.
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