Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, to be promoted as one destination

Friday, 1 October 2010
Source = e-travel Blackboard: J.A.J.

Yesterday at ITE 2010 in Ho Chi Minh City, Tran Chien Thang, Vice Minister, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, [second from right] Dr. Thong Khon, Minister, the Ministry of Tourism of the Kingdom of Cambodia, [far right] Somphong Mongkhonvilay, Minister, Chairman of Lao National Tourism Administration of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic [second from left] and Aye Myint Kyu, Vice Minister, the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism of the Union of Myanmar [far left] jointly announced an important new agreement that will mean the four countries will promote themselves together.

The agreement includes Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Viet Nam becoming promoted as one single tourism destination in the region, with the Ministers announcing that their NTO’s will accelerate sharing information and experiences in tourism planning, product development and tourism investment promotion; hosting of tourism investment forums in each of the four countries; working together to participate in international tourism events held in the four countries, training and human resources development and travel facilitation measures for tourists, including the possibilities for tourist transportation, tour packaging, joint organization of caravan tours and opening of direct air linkages among cultural heritage sites in order to further increase the incoming tourists to the four countries.

Youth exchanges, as well as sister cities’ and cultural heritages cooperation are included, to enhance what is described as mutual understanding and nurturing appreciation for the cultural values, customs and traditions.

Public – Private partnerships also get a mention to assist in tourism development, especially in the fields of infrastructure investment, the improvement of quality tourism products and services, tourism marketing and promotion for the sustainability of tourism development in each country.

With the four countries implementing the program and the strap line “Four Countries – One Destination” the Ministers also expressed their concern and intend addressing poverty alleviation and priorities should be given to human resource development and formulation of tourism standards or criteria.

The Ministers all agreed that they will meet biennially to assess progress and discuss future activity and when questioned by e-Travel Blackboard, confirmed that there were no plans to include formal representation in Australia.

In addition, the Ministers confirmed that there were no plans to lift visa requirements for Australian travelers, but that they believed they had made the process as easy as possible by allowing visas on arrival.

A Special Report by John Alwyn-Jones on location from ITE 2010, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.