ACC Participated in the Mekong Tourism Forum 2016

From 5 to 7 July 2016, the Mekong Tourism Forum 2016 was held in Sihanoukville, Cambodia. The Meeting was co-hosted by Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) and Ministry of Tourism of Cambodia with the theme “Authentic Experiences along the Mekong River”. Over 200 participants ranging from government agencies, private and public sectors in tourism and related industries in the GMS attended the forum. Representatives from Asian Development Bank (ADB), ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) and ASEAN-Japan Centre (AJC) were also invited to attend the forum.

H.E. Mr. Yun Min, Governor of Sihanoukville and H.E. Dr. Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism of Cambodia attended the Opening Ceremony on 6 July 2016 and delivered speeches. H.E. Mr. Yun Min extended his warm welcome to all the participants and made a brief introduction on the social and economic development of Sihanoukville.  H.E. Dr. Thong Khon stated that tourism was a major driving force for social and economic development in the region. For Cambodia, in 2015, tourism generated around USD 3.1 billion which accounted for 10.5% of GDP, and by 2020，it was expected to generate USD 5 billion. He emphasized that focusing on the development of authentic tourism products and services addressed the demands of the modern and current travel market while at the same time providing social and economic development opportunities for the local communities as well as preserving and enriching local customs and cultures. After the Opening Ceremony, sessions on Travel Experiences in the GMS, Keeping Authentic Experiences Alive and Mekong River-Based Tourism Product Development were held.  

On 5 July and 7 July 2016, thematic forums on Mekong Tourism Digital Bootcamp, Mekong Tourism Sector Strategy, Mekong Tourism Investment Summit and Mekong Food Tourism Seminar were held. Participants exchanged views and shared their experiences on the topics such as promoting and marketing Mekong tourism products on the digital platform, drafting of Mekong Tourism Sector Strategy, infrastructure investment in the GMS, developing green tourism and food tourism, and so forth.