|
In this issue:
Mekong Tourism Streamlines Into Two Units
Visit Mekong Year 2010 Takes Shape
Laos Arrivals Surging Ahead
Mekong Institute Promotes Regional Agenda
Seuang River Operators Unite
Tribune Applauds Laos
Search for Mekong Executive Director Continues
GMS Travel News at a Glance
About the Mekong Tourism Office
Mekong Tourism Streamlines Into Two Units
Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) tourism ministers January 21 approved a
plan to streamline Mekong Tourism marketing and development activities
into two collaborative units. The first unit will be the Mekong Tourism
Office (MTO). It will be run by a marketing expert with the objective of
increasing the number of higher spending travellers who visit two or
more GMS destinations on any given trip. The MTO will work closely with
destination marketing organisations and the private sector in the GMS
countries. The 2nd unit, the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO),
will be charged with driving Mekong Tourism's development agenda. The
MTCO, lead by tourism development expert Ms Christine Jacquemin, will be
tasked with orchestrating the funding and implementation of the 28
development projects identified in the GMS Tourism Sector Strategy, a
study published by the Asian Development Bank in 2005. The MTCO will
work closely with government ministries and departments, international
donors and development stakeholders.
The new two-pronged approach was proposed by MTO senior
advisor, Mr Peter Semone, and endorsed by GMS tourism ministers
attending a 90-minute policy meeting at the Asean Tourism Forum in
Bangkok.
TOP
Visit Mekong Year 2010 Takes Shape
GMS tourism ministers have endorsed a plan to create a "Visit Mekong
Year" in 2010. The visit year idea was presented by MTO senior advisor
Mr Peter Semone at the GMS tourism ministers' meeting in Bangkok,
January 21. Mr Semone said the year-long campaign would increase
awareness by international tourists of the variety of tourism products
available in the subregion. "It will be a year of celebration and
cooperation between Mekong tourism destinations," he said. "There will
be activities in each country and the private sector will be fully
involved. Our aim is to establish Mekong Tourism as a recognised
destination brand once and for all."
The seven participating
destinations will be Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and the
Yunnan and Guangxi provinces of China.
TOP
Laos Arrivals Surging
Ahead
According to statistics compiled by the Pacific Asia Travel Association,
Laos' international visitor arrivals surged 36.5% in the first ten
months of 2007 ahead of all other destinations in Southeast Asia. (Bali
was 2nd at 34.4%for the same period.) Within the Greater Mekong
Subregion, the 2nd fastest growth recorded was Cambodia at 18.4%
(Jan-Nov) followed by Vietnam at 16% (Jan-Dec). Myanmar recorded growth
of 5.7% (Jan-Oct) and Thailand 3.9-5.6% (depending on the criterion
used). Mekong Tourism Office senior advisor, Mr Peter Semone, said: "It
is remarkable to realize that Laos has caught up with Bali. Both
attracted around 1.35 million visitors in the first 10 months of 2007.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, the growth in arrivals to Laos,
Cambodia and Vietnam is likely to continue in double-digit figures for
at least the next few years."
TOP
 |
|
Dr Suchat Katima, Mekong
Institute director (centre); Ms Christine Jacquemin,
coordinator, Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (seated 2nd
left); Mrs Sanda Thant, Mekong Institute program manager
(seated 2nd from right) at the opening ceremony, January 14. |
Mekong
Institute Promotes Regional Agenda
The Mekong Institute in Khon Kaen, Northeast Thailand, on January 14
launched its "Learning Program on Tourism: A Regional Approach to
Development". Twenty participants from the six GMS countries are
currently attending the two-and-a-half week workshop which is part of
the institute's professional development series. The course aims to
promote effective regional economic cooperation and build partnerships
in four areas: i) sustainable tourism and pro-poor development ii)
community-based tourism iii) regional tourism marketing and promotion,
and iv) regional tourism and management. On her January 14 address at
the launch of the program, MTCO coordinator Ms Christine Jacquemin told
participants that greater subregional loyalty was desirable and good for
the region. She said there were productive parallels between the Greater
Mekong Subregion and Europe where people still had national loyalties
but also felt European.
TOP
Seuang River Operators Unite
On December 13 the Tourism Authority of Luang Prabang province signed an
agreement between 12 rural communities along the Seuang River,
provincial government agencies and Nakhon Phanom based tour operator,
North By Northeast Travel. The goal is to create a sustainable tourism
destination that alleviates poverty. Award winning responsible tourism
operator, North by North East Travel, has
further information on the
initiative.
TOP
Tribune Applauds Laos
The International Herald Tribune in its December 27 edition of
International Traveller reported that Laos is shaping up to be
Indochina's next hot spot. The Tribune cited ancient sites such as Wat
Phou temple complex, luxury teak houseboats that cruise down the Mekong,
dining at 3 Nagas in Luang Prabang and poolside relaxation at The
Residence, Phou Vao as some of the country's leading attractions.
TOP
Search for Mekong
Executive Director Continues
The Mekong Tourism Office will continue its search for a regional
executive director. The GMS countries meeting on December 3 decided to
extend the search until March 31, 2008 and extend the contract of its
current senior advisor, Mr Peter Semone, until mid-2008. Applicants for
the Bangkok-based job should e-mail
info@MekongTourism.org.
TOP
GMS Travel News at a
Glance
-
Vietnam's Ministry of Transport has
asked the Vietnam Railway Department to assess the feasibility of a
new rail link between Vietnam and Laos. The proposed route would
link Thakhek town in Laos with the Mu Gia Pass in Quang Binh
province in central Vietnam. The project would cost around US$450
million and would, at least in theory, be part of a trans-Asia
railway system.
-
Thailand will finance and build a third
bridge across the Mekong River. The Thai cabinet on December 18
approved the project that will cost around US$41 million and will
link Nakhon Phanom town in Thailand with Khammouan in Laos.
Construction is scheduled to start in 2008 and take three years.
-
Laos Airlines has launched Monday and
Friday flights between Luang Prabang and Kunming using an ATR-72.
The airline has also increased its Vientiane-Kunming flights from
three to four a week.
-
The Asian Development bank will provide loans totalling
US$1.1billion to build an access-controlled tollway from Hanoi to
Lao Cai on the Chinese border. On completion in 2012, the
improvements should reduce travel time from Kunming to Hanoi from
three days to two.
-
The Chiang Mai Tourism Business
Association will visit Malaysia and Singapore March 2-7. Forty
Chiang Mai and Northern Thailand tourism related operators are
expected to join. The CMTBA has recently witnessed strong growth out
of Malaysia and Singapore driven by direct air services by Air Asia,
Tiger Airways and Silk Air.
TOP
About the
Mekong Tourism Office
The MTO was established in February 2006. Its four key objectives are
to:-
-
Develop and promote the Mekong as a
single destination, offering a diversity of good quality and
high-yielding sub-regional products that help to distribute the
benefits of tourism more widely
-
Add to the tourism development efforts of
each GMS country
-
Contribute to poverty reduction, gender
equality and the empowerment of women
-
Promote sustainable development, while
minimising adverse impacts.
Contact Point
Mekong Tourism Office
5th Floor, Office of Tourism Development, Ministry of Tourism & Sports
154 Rama I Road, National Stadium, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Tel: (66-2) 612-4150/1. Fax: (66-2) 612-4152.
E-mail:
info@MekongTourism.org. Website:
www.MekongTourism.org.
Media enquiries:
media@MekongTourism.org.
Abbreviations
ADB (Asian Development Bank); EU (European Union); GMS (Greater Mekong Subregion); IMF
(International Monetary Fund);
MTO (Mekong Tourism Office); SNV (Netherlands Development Organization);
STEP (Sustainable Tourism Eliminating Poverty); UNESCAP (United Nations
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific); UNESCO (United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization); UNWTO (United
Nations World Tourism Organization).
TOP |
