What are we planning for 2021 at Mekong Tourism? Instead of listing our many projects and achievements during this challenging year, I wanted to give you a quick Preview of our TOP 11 Activities for 2021:
1. COVID-19: The current pandemic remains to be a critical issue, and we will continue to update our Corona Virus Update Page, Coronavirus Government Policy Updates, and our Infographs with quick information. We also continue our support program of our social enterprises in the Experience Mekong Collection, and curate innovative initiatives by organizations during COVID-19.
2. e-Newsletter: We will split our current newsletter in two separate newsletters. (1) One will focus on activities of the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office and the six tourism ministries of the Mekong Region, by providing links to relevant stories and events, as well as Corona Virus updates. The newsletter will be designed to be short and to-the-point, to give you the most important highlights quickly. (2) The other newsletter will be the new Destination Mekong e-Newsletter showcasing updates about our programs, such as the Experience Mekong Collection, Mekong Heroes, as well as our various campaigns and co-op opportunities for the industry to get involved. This newsletter will be inspiring, featuring stories of destinations, unique businesses, passionate people, and innovative initiatives. Important: Due to privacy protection, we will ask you to sign-up to the new Destination Mekong e-newsletter next year.
3. MIST: The Mekong Innovative Startups in Tourism Program, MIST, now in its 4th year, will evolve into an exciting program, focusing on innovation to drive sustainability and resilience. Stay tuned for an exiting announcement in mid January.
4. Virtual Internship Program: We have been talking to hotel and tourism programs at universities all over the world, and in collaboration with many professors, we are working on an exciting new virtual internship program. We look to deliver passionate smart young people to travel and tourism businesses in the region. Work in progress, but a program that will be critical for the process of tourism in the Mekong Region.
5. Mekong Tourism Forum in Bagan/Myanmar: The annual flagship tourism conference of the Mekong Region, the Mekong Tourism Forum, has been moved multiple times due to COVID-19, previously scheduled to take place end of February 2021. The MTCO Board, made up of the six tourism ministries has decided at the last GMS Tourism Working Group Meeting to further postpone Mekong Tourism Forum for the 3rd Quarter of 2021. By mid year 2021, the current situations will be re-evaluated to confirm or change the dates.
6. Destination Mekong Summit: Due to the further postponement of the Mekong Tourism Forum in Bagan, we are considering to organize a 2nd Destination Mekong Summit, which will be in virtual, and possibly hybrid format. In the meantime, you can view the sessions from the 1st Destination Mekong Summit.
7. Mekong Heroes: The nominations are open, and an announcement will go out beginning of 2021, to launch the call for the 2nd Mekong Hero. Please see more information at and nominate your favorite hero.
8. Experience Mekong Showcases: We are also getting ready to start selecting the shortlist for the 4th Experience Mekong Showcases. We expect top open public voting by mid 2021, or sooner.
9. Mekong Tourism Advisory Group (MeTAG): The Mekong Tourism Advisory Group is active, and we are about ready to start forming thematic expert groups in areas such as Wellness, Arts & Culture, Culinary, Child Protection, Wildlife Conservation, and Climate Change. We have also received 20 nominations from existing members for additional people to join MeTAG. Invitations will go out soon, and are excited to further grow this important and powerful community of passionate travel and tourism professionals in the Mekong Region.
10. Tourism Recovery Campaigns: We continue to work on our "Integrated Tourism Recovery System", which connects three tourism campaign platforms (Memories, Secrets, and Deals), powered by the powerful Enwoke technology, to stimulate local and domestic travel, prepare the industry (especially small businesses) for digital transformation, and to promote the destinations via inspiring visual storytelling to put our destinations on the list to visit once travel is possible again. In order to scale better, and receive funding to accelerate technology development, as well as to assist other tourism destinations around the world to prepare for tourism recovery, we are happy to make this innovative platform available to other governments, tourism boards, and private sector multi-stakeholder organizations all over the world. We hope to be ready to invite businesses in the Mekong Region to participate in Mekong Memories, and Mekong Deals in the 1st quarter of 2021.
11. Partnerships: We have engaged in various partnerships to focus on single-use plastic pollution (One Planet Program with UNWTO & UNEP), climate-friendly travel (SunX Program), and sustainability (Future of Tourism Coalition). We look to further engage in collaborate with partners in these important programs, to make sure that the region is as prepared and as strong for tourism recovery, once borders open again, and travel resumes.
I hope many of you will get engaged and actively participate in our programs and initiatives.
I personally would like to thank all our partners, from individuals that have continued to encourage me and give me valuable advise (you know who you are), to organizations from ADB, UNWTO, WTTC, to many travel companies in the GMS, as well as the six tourism ministries of the Greater Mekong Subregion for having extending my contract multiple times. I would have never expected to be in this role for over 6 years, and I feel personally very honored and privileged to be allowed to be of service.
With that, I wish all of you, your families, and your staff, a very Merry Christmas, and a happy, healthy, and prosperous NewYear! I personally hope and look forward to seeing many of you in person, as well as virtually online.
Kind regards,
Jens Thraenhart
Executive Director
Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO)
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