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Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office

The Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) is administered out of the offices of the Department of Tourism of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Thailand, based in Bangkok, and was established with funding from the six governments of Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Viet Nam, and Thailand, which represent the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS). A common goal of both of public and private sectors in all countries is to create sustainable tourism profit. This is achieved optimally by increasing inbound tourism yield, by developing quality products that tourists are willing to buy, and inciting longer stays with enhanced motivation to revisit. Thus, GMS’s strategy is to “develop and promote the Mekong Region as a single tourism destination. In 2016 the GMS welcomed 59.8 million international tourist arrivals, representing a 3% share of the global market. The MTCO, via Destination Mekong, aims to collaborate with public and private sectors to execute programs, such as Mekong Moments, the Mekong Mini Movie Festival, the Experience Mekong Collection, Mekong Trends, and the Mekong Innovative Startups in Tourism (MIST) program.

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Mekong Tourism Forum: The GMS must-attend Conference

The Mekong Tourism Forum provides a cooperative platform for public and private sector stakeholders in the tourism industry to discuss the development, marketing and promotion of travel to, from and within the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), and monitor sustainable and responsible tourism growth. The Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) has revived the forum in 2010 taking place in Siem Reap, Cambodia, with the theme of “New Roads, New Opportunities”. Followed by MTF 2011  “Destination Mekong: The Making of a Star” in Pakse, Laos,  MTF 2012 in Chiang Rai, Thailand with the theme of “20/20 Vision: Building on Two Decades of GMS Cooperation”, MTF 2013 in Guilin, China with the theme ““The Rise of the Chinese traveller: Optimizing the impacts for the GMS”, MTF 2014 in Mandalay, Myanmar with the theme “Tourism investment for the protection of Heritage and Culture”, MTF 2015 in Da Nang, Viet Nam with the theme “Unlocking the GMS via Innovative Partnerships”, and MTF 2016 in Sihanoukville, Cambodia with the theme “Authentic Experiences along the Mekong River.”. MTF 2017 in Luang Prabang, Lao PDR, with the theme “Prosper with Purpose”, MTF 2018 in Nakhon Phanom, Thailand with the theme “Transforming Travel – Transforming Lives”, and MTF 2019 in Dali, Yunnan, P.R.China with the theme “Tourism – a driver for cultural heritage preservation and poverty alleviation”.

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Don't Miss MTF 2021

Hosted by the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, Myanmar, in collaboration with the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office, in the latest UNESCO world heritage town Bagan from February 15-16, the MTF 2021 will focus on the theme of “Achieving Balanced Tourism” which is highly relevant in today’s world where mismanagement of destinations has led to over-crowding which in return has resulted in an imbalance of the destination’s ecosystem to have a harmonious and inclusive relationship between tourists and residents, and to protect and preserve the cultural and environmental assets.

MTF 2021 will feature five parts: After the “Village Experience” bringing delegates to visit local businesses and sites around Bagan for interactive sessions relevant to the theme of “Balanced Tourism”, and the “MTF Gala Dinner & Awards” during the afternoon and evening of February 15, the “MTF Official Opening” followed by the “MTF Plenary” will feature engaging keynotes and panel sessions will stimulate discussions. MTF 2021 will end with the traditional Mekong Food Festival, allowing delegates to sample delicious local cuisine and interact with local artisans showcasing their handicrafts.

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Speakers

  • Steven Schipani

    Senior Portfolio Management Specialist - Asian Development Bank (ADB)

  • Jens Thraenhart

    Executive Director - Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO)

Location

Bagan, Myanmar

 

 

 

Testimonials

I found the conference to be a great event with quality speakers... More...

Liz Ward CEO, Travel Tribe Sydney, Australia March 3, 2017

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