Mekong countries unveil combined tourism strategy

The six countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) have released their new joint tourism strategy.

Introduced at the 20th Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Ministerial Conference in Myanmar’s capital Nay Pyi Taw on 10 September, the new ‘Experience Mekong Tourism Marketing Strategy & Action Plan 2015-2020′ outlines the shared tourism vision of GMS countries.

This includes the development of themed multi-country tour programmes and the promotion of secondary destinations, in an effort to distribute tourism more widely across the region.

The Experience Mekong Tourism Marketing Strategy 2015-2020
The Experience Mekong Tourism Marketing Strategy 2015-2020
The six countries included in the GMS are Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

“We encourage tourists to spread their spending beyond established locations such as Angkor Wat, the Grand Palace in Bangkok and Yangon in Myanmar,” said Jens Thraenhart, executive director of the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office.

Thraenhart added that he is optimistic that the marketing plan would help further raise the profile of the GMS as a “world-class destination, with good air, land, and water connectivity, diverse tourism activities, quality tourism services, and convenient tourist visa policies”.

Niche industry sectors being promoted under the strategy include community-based tourism and river-based tourism, as well as local cuisine and cultural appreciation.

The new plan includes a series of marketing tools, including the MekongTourism.org digital platform which hosts a freely accessible GMS tourism e-library. CLICK HERE to download a copy of the Experience Mekong Tourism Marketing Strategy 2015-2020.

sourced:traveldailymedia.com