Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office

21/09/2021

Great discussion with amazing panellists on Destination Mekong Food & Agro-Tourism Expert Group webinar today on the theme "An Appetite for Travel - The Crucial Role of Food Tourism in the Recovery of The Tourism Industry" organised by Destination Mekong and facilitated by Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office.
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Very insightful aspects on food tourism in different views from the speakers from innovations to food tourism as a key driver for recovery in the Mekong Region.
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For anyone who missed the event today, the recording is available at https://bit.ly/2VWmIjw.
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#tourismmekong

20/09/2021

Did you register to have an appetite for travel?
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Join the Food and Agro-Tourism Group of Destination Mekong to learn more about the prospects for food tourism and how these experts are preparing for the future in their businesses and destinations.
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📅: 21 September 2021
⏰: 3 pm (Bangkok Time)
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Save your seat for the event via https://lnkd.in/dUTNG6DB

Did you register to have an appetite for travel?
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Join the Food and Agro-Tourism Group of Destination Mekong to learn more about the prospects for food tourism and how these experts are preparing for the future in their businesses and destinations.
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📅: 21 September 2021
⏰: 3 pm (Bangkok Time)
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Save your seat for the event via https://lnkd.in/dUTNG6DB

18/09/2021

Vote for your favorite shortlisted innovation for the 2021 MIST Final Pitching Session during the Mekong World Tourism Day Forum on October 6-7.
Deadline is 25 September 2021 - Vote at: rb.gy/xpgtiv

The winners will be announced during the 2nd Destination Mekong Summit on October 21-22. Registration for the virtual Mekong World Tourism Day Forum and the 2nd Destination Mekong Summit will open soon at: https://www.destinationmekong.com/event-directory/

Vote for your favorite shortlisted innovation for the 2021 MIST Final Pitching Session during the Mekong World Tourism Day Forum on October 6-7.
Deadline is 25 September 2021 - Vote at: rb.gy/xpgtiv

The winners will be announced during the 2nd Destination Mekong Summit on October 21-22. Registration for the virtual Mekong World Tourism Day Forum and the 2nd Destination Mekong Summit will open soon at: https://www.destinationmekong.com/event-directory/

15/09/2021

Will food experiences drive the recovery of tourism? Absolutely.
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Food tourism is more than just sitting in a restaurant. It’s a window into understanding the local culture. It can take many forms, from market tours to cooking classes; increasingly, local authorities and businesses are finding more creative, innovative, hands-on ways to showcase their local foods and culinary traditions, bringing visitors and locals closer together.
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As the tourism industry embarks on the difficult road to recovery in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, food tourism is going to play a significant role. As many as 80% of travellers consider their food options before picking a destination. The WTO estimates that one-third of travel budgets is spent on food, and travellers who define themselves as food travellers spend 24% more than the average.
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Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office is delighted to support the Food and Agro-Tourism Group of Destination Mekong on how tourism professionals in the region who are interested in sharing their ideas about food tourism and how innovating in the field will assist in recovery when travel resumes.
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Join us to learn more about the prospects for food tourism and how these experts are preparing for the future in their businesses and destinations.
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📅: 21 September 2021
⏰: 3 pm (Bangkok Time)
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Save your seat for the event via https://www.destinationmekong.com/.../an-appetite-for.../.

10/09/2021

Three ASSET-H&C members from Vietnam, Mai Sen Bistro , La Boulangerie Française - Hue / Banh mi Phap - Hue, Hoa Sua School For Tourism-Economics, recently became part of Experience Mekong Collection, an initiative by Destination Mekong, which showcases responsible and sustainable travel experiences in the Greater Mekong Subregion.

Congratulations to all of them!

09/09/2021

Vietnam prepares welcome for vaccinated foreign tourists to select destinations - VnExpress International

“Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had earlier this week ordered a pilot program to attract international tourists to the southern island of Phu Quoc from now until the end of the year, expecting 2-3 million arrivals.

Phu Quoc plans to trial a six-month vaccine passport program from October, and hopes to receive 40,000 foreign tourists during the period.”

https://ampe-vnexpress-net.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/ampe.vnexpress.net/news/travel/vietnam-prepares-welcome-for-vaccinated-foreign-tourists-to-select-destinations-4353618.html

Vietnam prepares welcome for vaccinated foreign tourists to select destinations By Lan Huong Thu, 9/9/2021 | 15:15 (GMT+7) Vietnam is planning to allow some destinations to welcome back fully-vaccinated foreign visitors in the first steps to revive the tourism industry. Tourists take a cyclo ride al...

09/09/2021

Mekong Stories | Destination Mekong

Mekong Stories | Destination Mekong

Mekong Stories is an online magazine to feature human impact stories from the Destination Mekong programs.

08/09/2021

Great discussion with very active engagement from the MeTAG Education & Research group on their monthly meeting facilitated by Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office to update about the upcoming and exciting projects collaborating with the industry to prepare for tourism recovery.

#tourismmekong

08/09/2021

ASEAN-Korea Centre 한-아세안센터 in cooperation with the Korean Tourism Organization (KTO) will organize a Seminar on ASEAN-Korea tourism 2021 under the theme of ‘Rebooting Digital Marketing for Tourism’.
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The seminar will be held online on September 10, 2021, via the YouTube channel of the ASEAN-Korea Centre.
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For more information and registration, please visit https://forms.gle/7WF4TTnTNwE4sv1D7

05/09/2021

ASEAN-Korea Center to present a virtual trip to ASEAN countries

The ASEAN-Korea Center has organized a virtual “ASEAN Familiarization Tour” to enhance the ASEAN-Korea tourism cooperation.

The tour, which lets Korean travel journalists and social media influencers explore tourism destinations in ASEAN member states, moved online last year, when global travel restrictions began. The center produced promotional videos introducing tourism spots and resources in ASEAN countries.

This year, Korean actress and entertainer So Yu-jin and millennials from ASEAN will take online trips to four ASEAN countries -- Brunei, Indonesia, Myanmar and Vietnam.

http://m.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20210902000435

The ASEAN-Korea Center has organized a virtual “ASEAN Familiarization Tour” to enhance the ASEAN-Korea tourism cooperation. The tour, which lets Korean travel journalists and social media influencers explore tourism destinations in ASEAN member states, moved online last year, when global trave....

05/09/2021

This is an interesting and very relevant Skift article..What this article however does not mention is the power of transnational cross-border tourism corporations, such as the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) and Destination Mekong , the South Pacific Tourism Organization, the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) , the European Travel Commission (ETC), Tourism ASEAN and Aseanta , and others.
At Mekong Tourism, we have done our award-winning regional Mekong Moments and Mekong Minis Movie Festival campaigns, as well as our Experience Mekong Collection and MIST: Mekong Innovations in Sustainable Tourism platforms for small social enterprises, starting back in 2017, working collaboratively with our six member governments to promote the Mekong Region as an inclusive and experiential travel destination.
More than ever are regional tourism collaborations critical to aide the accelerated tourism recovery. This will be especially important in combating the threats of climate change and achieving the UN Sustainability Development Goals.

https://skift-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/skift.com/2021/09/02/destinations-put-aside-old-rivalries-with-new-combined-marketing/amp/

02/09/2021

On this meaningful occasion, the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office joins the people of #Vietnam in the jubilation of its National Day.
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Happy National Day to all Vietnamese!
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#tourismmekong

On this meaningful occasion, the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office joins the people of #Vietnam in the jubilation of its National Day.
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Happy National Day to all Vietnamese!
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#tourismmekong

31/08/2021

Thank you to the MeTAG Wildlife Tourism & Conservation Expert Group for inviting Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office to join and putting together such a great and valuable webinar promoting the best practices and ethical, conservation-minded wildlife tourism in GMS organized by Destination Mekong
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It was a productive session having our 2021 Experience Mekong Showcases Finalists Wildlife Alliance, ອຸທິຍານແຫ່ງຊາດນໍ້າແອດ-ພູເລີຍ Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park as well as GTAEF Helping Elephants, our Experience Mekong Collection member joined and presented their inspiring stories.
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For anyone who missed the session, the recording is available here https://youtu.be/2BJOK73iqzw
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Please also cast your vote for the 2021 Experience Mekong Showcases if you haven't done so. Today is the last chance to support small responsible businesses in the Mekong Region.
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Vote here: https://bit.ly/3BRrJKe
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#experiencemekong #tourismmekong

30/08/2021

Finalists for the 2021 Experience Mekong Showcases announced | Destination Mekong

[FINAL CALL!] Vote for your favourite small, responsible businesses in the Mekong Region.
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Cast your vote for 2021 Experience Mekong showcases until August 31 here: https://bit.ly/3BRrJKe
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More information: https://bit.ly/3jZbIKm
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#tourismmekong #experiencemekong

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION Finalists for the 2021 Experience Mekong Showcases announced Public Voting is open to support small responsible businesses during these challenging times Bangkok, July 27th, 2021:  The Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office is announcing the 15 Finalists of the ...

25/08/2021

Tourism Struggles to See Its Future in Southeast Asia | Heinrich Böll Foundation | Southeast Asia Regional Office

A very good article by our Destination Mekong MeTAG member Vincent Vichit-Vadakan: https://th.boell.org/en/2021/08/24/tourism-covid-19?fbclid=IwAR0ZRZckddI7kdwF4tn5TDtIHkL56hIF0tOriHogXqpLnxqJW2wkyFmno1A

The hard-hit tourism industry in Southeast Asia looks for ways out of the pandemic. From promoting domestic tourism to ‘travel bubbles’ to Thailand’s Phuket Sandbox scheme to bring back international travelers, all ASEAN countries are facing novel challenges of the ‘novel’ coronavirus. Wha...

25/08/2021

Great discussion with very insightful knowledge from the "Destination Mekong - Responsible and Safe Forms of Voluntourism" webinar organized by ECPAT International together with Destination Mekong and Child Protection Expert Group.
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It was a very successful event with almost 200 participants to learn how voluntourism plays an important role in sustainable, responsible travel and tourism development in the region.
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Thank you very much for such great support from ក្រសួងទេសចរណ៍ Ministry of Tourism, Cambodia and Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism, Lao PDR to join the panel discussion and share the valuable insights from best practices implemented in the countries.
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We also would like to thank all the great effort from our MeTAG Child Protection and Education Expert Group to organize and invite Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office to be part of this important issue of the region.

#tourismmekong

24/08/2021

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Destination Mekong - responsible and safe forms of voluntourism. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.

QUICK REMINDER - STARTING IN A FEW MINUTES:

On behalf of the DESTINATION MEKONG Child Protection Group, I would like to invite you to join the webinar on 24 August at 3.00 pm of Bangkok time on "Destination Mekong - responsible and safe forms of voluntourism", more information is here:
https://www.destinationmekong.com/expert-group/child-protection/ and the link to register:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ToCbneEJSTC5TTK3A_jNpg

We look forward to discussing with you the topic of voluntourism in the Mekong region.

As part of sustainable and responsible travel and tourism development, the industry must ensure that only responsible and safe forms of voluntourism are undertaken. Companies should exclude visits to orphanages from tourism packages as it drives institutionalisation which causes harm to children. Wi...

24/08/2021

Please support the MeTAG Education and Research Expert Group by completing this survey: https://bit.ly/MeTag-edu.
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The survey is short and we would love to hear your insight on emerging needs in terms of human capital and opportunities for enhanced collaboration between your business and education stakeholders from a tourism business in the Greater Mekong Subregion.
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The survey is open until 31.08.2021.

Please support the MeTAG Education and Research Expert Group by completing this survey: https://bit.ly/MeTag-edu.
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The survey is short and we would love to hear your insight on emerging needs in terms of human capital and opportunities for enhanced collaboration between your business and education stakeholders from a tourism business in the Greater Mekong Subregion.
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The survey is open until 31.08.2021.

23/08/2021

Finalists for the 2021 Experience Mekong Showcases announced | Destination Mekong

A week to go! If you haven't put your vote for your favourite one to support small businesses in the Mekong Region.

Cast your vote for this year Experience Mekong showcases until August 31 here: https://bit.ly/3BRrJKe
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More information: https://bit.ly/3jZbIKm
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#tourismmekong #experiencemekong

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION Finalists for the 2021 Experience Mekong Showcases announced Public Voting is open to support small responsible businesses during these challenging times Bangkok, July 27th, 2021:  The Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office is announcing the 15 Finalists of the ...

18/08/2021

DESTINATION MEKONG – SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL & TOURISM RECOVERY WITH CHILD PROTECTION IN FOCUS - ECPAT International

A week to go, register and join us to learn more about voluntourism with ECPAT International, The Code, Destination Mekong, and experts from the Mekong Region.
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📅: 24 August
⏰: 3 pm (Bangkok Time)
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For more information and registration, please visit https://bit.ly/3spNo8p.
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#tourismmekong

WEBINAR: LAUNCH of THE CODE VOLUNTOURISM POLICY 24 August 3.00 – 4.30 pm (Bangkok time) As part of sustainable and responsible travel and tourism development, the industry must ensure that only responsible and safe forms of voluntourism…

17/08/2021

Finalists for the 2021 Experience Mekong Showcases announced | Destination Mekong

Have you cast your votes to support small businesses in the Mekong Region? Two more weeks for putting your voice in until August 31st.
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Find out who are the finalists for the 2021 Experience Mekong showcases and vote here: https://bit.ly/3BRrJKe
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More information: https://bit.ly/3jZbIKm
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#tourismmekong #experiencemekong

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION Finalists for the 2021 Experience Mekong Showcases announced Public Voting is open to support small responsible businesses during these challenging times Bangkok, July 27th, 2021:  The Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office is announcing the 15 Finalists of the ...

13/08/2021

DESTINATION MEKONG – SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL & TOURISM RECOVERY WITH CHILD PROTECTION IN FOCUS - ECPAT International

Without regulation and care, some forms of voluntourism allow offenders to get un-vetted access to children. This puts children at risk of being trafficked and sexually exploited.
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To address this issue, ECPAT International, The Code, together with Destination Mekong and experts from the Mekong region, is launching the voluntourism policy for companies, organisations and entities to protect children. The Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office is honoured to be invited as a part of this important discussion.
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Join our Executive Director and the other experts at this webinar to learn more.
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For more information and registration, please visit https://bit.ly/3spNo8p.
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📅: 24 August
⏰: 3pm (Bangkok Time)

#tourismmekong

WEBINAR: LAUNCH of THE CODE VOLUNTOURISM POLICY 24 August 3.00 – 4.30 pm (Bangkok time) As part of sustainable and responsible travel and tourism development, the industry must ensure that only responsible and safe forms of voluntourism…