Greater Mekong Subregion Countries Target 52 Million Tourist Arrivals In 2015

Stepping up efforts to implement joint marking and promotion programme, the countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) aims to attract 52 million international visitors by 2015.The GMS is also looking at US$52 billion in revenue, reports Lao news agency (KPL) on Tuesday.

In 2010 members of the six-country GMS Tourism Working Group revived the Mekong Tourism Forum as one of the subregion's flagship events to promote emerging Mekong destinations and serve as a platform to exchange knowledge on sustainable tourism.

With the assistance of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), a strategy has been developed by Cambodia, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Yunnan Province of China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, to promote quality subregional tourism, that will contribute to poverty reduction, and sustainable development while minimizing negative impacts.

The GMS Tourism Sector Strategy includes 29 priority projects and seven strategic programs that focus on marketing and product development, human resource development, heritage conservation and social impact management, pro-poor tourism development, private sector participation, facilitation of the movement of tourists within the subregion, and tourism-related infrastructure development.

Craig Steffensen, Country Director of ADB's Thailand Resident Mission, said during a recent mid-term review of the strategy, GMS Tourism Ministers directed the Tourism Working Group to focus on promoting pro-poor tourism development, strengthen tourism-related human resources, and jointly promote the development of thematic, multi-country tour routes linked to the iconic Mekong River.

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, in 2010 the Mekong region generated approximately US$22.1 billion in economic output linked to travel, shopping, entertainment, transportation and other tourism-related services.

However, a long running annual increase in international arrivals was briefly derailed in 2009 due to the global economic downturn.Growth rebounded strongly in 2010 when the GMS surpassed the historic milestone of 30 million international arrivals for that year.

"This impressive growth and resilience is mainly due to the subregion's highly competitive cost structure, rapidly improving subregional connectivity, liberalization of immigration policies, and increasing affluence among the GMS population," Steffensen added.

ADB, together with GMS governments and their development partners, are supporting the subregional tourism cooperation program by investing in public infrastructure such as roads, sanitation, water and power supply along with complimentary investments in technical and vocational education, biodiversity conservation, and promotion of pro-poor tourism policies.Between 2003 and 2011, ADB has provided US$58.7 million in loan and grant assistance to the GMS tourism industry.

ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration. Established in 1966, it is owned by 67 members - 48 from the region.In 2010, ADB approvals, including, cofinancing, totaled US$17.51 billion. In addition, ADB's ongoing Trade Finance Programme supported US$2.8 billion in trade.

Source = bernama