Created four years ago in September 2017 to both recognize and encourage sustainable and responsible tourism development, 72 Experience Mekong Collection (EMC) member businesses have been shortlisted – ten from each of the six GMS member countries plus the two finalists from last year that did not win – to determine the final six businesses to be recognized for the third annual Experience Mekong Showcases via public voting (https://www.destinationmekong.com/experience-mekong-showcases2021-voting/), announced at the 2nd Virtual Destination Mekong Summit in May 2021. The “Experience Mekong Collection” curates small, responsible, and sustainable travel businesses in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), endorsed by members of the Mekong Tourism Advisory Group (https://www.destinationmekong.com/mekong-tourism-advisory-group/) and is a collection of inspirational, rewarding, and authentic experiences that minimize negative impacts and generate greater benefits for the people of the GMS and enhance the well-being of host communities. This year’s shortlisted businesses were each examined in great detail regarding their practices, tangible impact on the environment and social climate, innovation, and financial viability.
Each business needs to fulfill the following requirements:
“The importance of responsible tourism cannot be underestimated and the ‘Experience Mekong Collection’ is a wonderful way of highlighting examples of good practice. Social enterprises have the potential to drive sustainable tourism and to promote the Mekong Region as an experiential and responsible travel destination. We aim to tell their stories to inspire travelers to experience these “stars of the Mekong,” said Mr. Jens Thraenhart, Executive Director of the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO).
In January 2020, at the FITUR travel trade show in Madrid, Spain, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) featured the Experience Mekong Collection as a global best practice on tourism aligned to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Each business needs to fulfill the following requirements:
- Make a significant social impact on its community
- Provide an authentically local experience positioning the GMS as a responsible, inclusive, and experiential tourism destination.
- Have an innovative concept and sustainable business model.
“The importance of responsible tourism cannot be underestimated and the ‘Experience Mekong Collection’ is a wonderful way of highlighting examples of good practice. Social enterprises have the potential to drive sustainable tourism and to promote the Mekong Region as an experiential and responsible travel destination. We aim to tell their stories to inspire travelers to experience these “stars of the Mekong,” said Mr. Jens Thraenhart, Executive Director of the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO).
In January 2020, at the FITUR travel trade show in Madrid, Spain, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) featured the Experience Mekong Collection as a global best practice on tourism aligned to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
For more information about the Experience Mekong Collection and the Experience Mekong Showcases, please visit: - https://www.destinationmekong.com/initiatives/experience-mekong-collection/ and - https://www.destinationmekong.com/initiatives/experience-mekong-showcases/ and
- watch the Experience Mekong Collection video at https://youtu.be/3g3ecnIWH9s and
- the Experience Mekong Destination video at https://youtu.be/dpAbiiVwlI0.
- watch the Experience Mekong Collection video at https://youtu.be/3g3ecnIWH9s and
- the Experience Mekong Destination video at https://youtu.be/dpAbiiVwlI0.
During these challenging times, to support our small responsible travel businesses and protect the fragile tourism ecosystem of the Greater Mekong Subregion, the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office, together with Destination Mekong, last year launched the “Support Experience Mekong Collection Businesses” at: https://www.destinationmekong.com/projects/support-experience-mekong-collection-members/.
During this difficult time of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are afraid that many small businesses are struggling, and some may not survive. What makes travel in the Greater Mekong Subregion so unique and authentic are these small local enterprises and responsible operators. For some of these experiences to go away is like taking a part of the Mekong Region away. The Experience Mekong Collection not only creates a strong community for these small businesses to get through this difficult time, but also provides a powerful platform to accelerate the recovery process”, said Ms. Duangmala Phommavong, Managing Director of Exo Travel Laos, and a member of the Mekong Tourism Advisory Group (MeTAG).
By choosing one organization from each Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) country, the MTCO, along with the Mekong Tourism Advisory Group (MeTAG) endorses and selects “best practice” tourism organizations specifically committed to sustainable and responsible practices. As previously structured, each showcase organization is thematically categorized by either ‘DO’, ‘SHOP’, ‘STAY’, ‘TASTE’, ‘TOUR’, and ‘CRUISE’.
This year for the second time, the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) is inviting the public to vote for their favorite Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) small businesses out of the 72 shortlisted members of the 350+ Experience Mekong Collection members to determine the 2021 Experience Mekong Showcases. Public voting is open until March 31, 2021. The top 3 businesses with the most votes from each country will move into the final, when the Mekong Tourism Advisory Group (MeTAG), the GMS Tourism Working Group (TWG), and the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) help in selecting the six 2021 Experience Mekong Showcases – one from each GMS member country.
“In recognizing the most innovative best practice businesses as the Experience Mekong Showcases, this sets several benchmarks to further improve travel experiences in the Greater Mekong Subregion. We hope this motivates other operators to become more involved and do their part for responsible tourism,” said HE Mr. Htay Aung, former Minister of Hotels and Tourism of Myanmar, and a member of the Mekong Tourism Advisory Group (MeTAG).
The 2018 Experience Mekong Collection Showcases included Phare Cambodian Circus (Cambodia), Longji Rice Terraces Guangxi (PR China), Ock Pop Tok (Lao PDR), Inle Heritage Place (Myanmar), Local Alike (Thailand), and Koto (Viet Nam). The 2019 Experience Mekong Collection included Soksabike (Cambodia), Linden Centre (PR China), Elephant Conservation Centre (Lao PDR), Hla Day (Myanmar), Sampran Riverside (Thailand), and Streets International (Viet Nam). The 2020 Experience Mekong Showcases included Elephant Valley Project (Cambodia), Yangshuo Mountain Retreat (PR China), Laos Buffalo Dairy (Lao PDR), Living Irrawaddy Dolphin Project (Myanmar), Family Tree (Thailand), La Hoa – Flowers Speak (Viet Nam).
Please support these small businesses in these challenging times, and cast your vote for the 2021 Experience Mekong Showcases until March 31, 2021 by visiting: https://www.destinationmekong.com/experience-mekong-showcases2021-voting/
All members of the Experience Mekong Collection get exposure via channels of Mekong Tourism, including MekongTourism.org, ExperienceMekong.com, as well as the dedicated Experience Mekong Collection Facebook and Instagram accounts. Experience Mekong Collection members also have priority access to marketing campaigns and have their own dedicated online member-only community to connect with each other. Via a partnership with Mahidol University in Thailand, we bring these innovative best practices into the classroom to educate future leaders about the importance of responsible tourism and create case studies of the Experience Mekong Showcases to inspire the industry and other businesses. All cases studies can be downloaded for free at https://www.mekongtourism.org/experience-mekong-showcases/
For more information about the Experience Mekong Collection and its members, please visit www.experiencemekongcollection.com. To find out more information about our programs, please download our Mekong Tourism program booklet at http://bit.ly/MekongTourism2020 and contact us via www.MekongTourism.org.
Cambodia
Do Bambu Stage Siem Reap Cambodia
Do Phare Ponleu Selpak Battambang Cambodia
Shop Genevieve’s Fair Trade Village Siem Reap Cambodia
Shop Coco Khmer Phnom Penh Cambodia
Stay Farmhouse Smiling Gecko Kampong Chhnang Cambodia
Stay Mulberry Boutique Hotel Siem Reap Cambodia
Taste Sala Baï Siem Reap Cambodia
Taste The Lonely Tree Café Battambang Cambodia
Tour / Cruise Wildlife Alliance Release Station Koh Kong Cambodia
Tour / Cruise Artisans Angkor Siem Reap Cambodia
Do Cambodia Living Arts Phnom Penh Cambodia
Tour / Cruise Ayana Journeys Siem Reap Cambodia
During this difficult time of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are afraid that many small businesses are struggling, and some may not survive. What makes travel in the Greater Mekong Subregion so unique and authentic are these small local enterprises and responsible operators. For some of these experiences to go away is like taking a part of the Mekong Region away. The Experience Mekong Collection not only creates a strong community for these small businesses to get through this difficult time, but also provides a powerful platform to accelerate the recovery process”, said Ms. Duangmala Phommavong, Managing Director of Exo Travel Laos, and a member of the Mekong Tourism Advisory Group (MeTAG).
By choosing one organization from each Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) country, the MTCO, along with the Mekong Tourism Advisory Group (MeTAG) endorses and selects “best practice” tourism organizations specifically committed to sustainable and responsible practices. As previously structured, each showcase organization is thematically categorized by either ‘DO’, ‘SHOP’, ‘STAY’, ‘TASTE’, ‘TOUR’, and ‘CRUISE’.
This year for the second time, the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) is inviting the public to vote for their favorite Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) small businesses out of the 72 shortlisted members of the 350+ Experience Mekong Collection members to determine the 2021 Experience Mekong Showcases. Public voting is open until March 31, 2021. The top 3 businesses with the most votes from each country will move into the final, when the Mekong Tourism Advisory Group (MeTAG), the GMS Tourism Working Group (TWG), and the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) help in selecting the six 2021 Experience Mekong Showcases – one from each GMS member country.
“In recognizing the most innovative best practice businesses as the Experience Mekong Showcases, this sets several benchmarks to further improve travel experiences in the Greater Mekong Subregion. We hope this motivates other operators to become more involved and do their part for responsible tourism,” said HE Mr. Htay Aung, former Minister of Hotels and Tourism of Myanmar, and a member of the Mekong Tourism Advisory Group (MeTAG).
The 2018 Experience Mekong Collection Showcases included Phare Cambodian Circus (Cambodia), Longji Rice Terraces Guangxi (PR China), Ock Pop Tok (Lao PDR), Inle Heritage Place (Myanmar), Local Alike (Thailand), and Koto (Viet Nam). The 2019 Experience Mekong Collection included Soksabike (Cambodia), Linden Centre (PR China), Elephant Conservation Centre (Lao PDR), Hla Day (Myanmar), Sampran Riverside (Thailand), and Streets International (Viet Nam). The 2020 Experience Mekong Showcases included Elephant Valley Project (Cambodia), Yangshuo Mountain Retreat (PR China), Laos Buffalo Dairy (Lao PDR), Living Irrawaddy Dolphin Project (Myanmar), Family Tree (Thailand), La Hoa – Flowers Speak (Viet Nam).
Please support these small businesses in these challenging times, and cast your vote for the 2021 Experience Mekong Showcases until March 31, 2021 by visiting: https://www.destinationmekong.com/experience-mekong-showcases2021-voting/
All members of the Experience Mekong Collection get exposure via channels of Mekong Tourism, including MekongTourism.org, ExperienceMekong.com, as well as the dedicated Experience Mekong Collection Facebook and Instagram accounts. Experience Mekong Collection members also have priority access to marketing campaigns and have their own dedicated online member-only community to connect with each other. Via a partnership with Mahidol University in Thailand, we bring these innovative best practices into the classroom to educate future leaders about the importance of responsible tourism and create case studies of the Experience Mekong Showcases to inspire the industry and other businesses. All cases studies can be downloaded for free at https://www.mekongtourism.org/experience-mekong-showcases/
For more information about the Experience Mekong Collection and its members, please visit www.experiencemekongcollection.com. To find out more information about our programs, please download our Mekong Tourism program booklet at http://bit.ly/MekongTourism2020 and contact us via www.MekongTourism.org.
Shortlisted Experience Mekong Collection Members
Category Business Name City CountryCambodia
Do Bambu Stage Siem Reap Cambodia
Do Phare Ponleu Selpak Battambang Cambodia
Shop Genevieve’s Fair Trade Village Siem Reap Cambodia
Shop Coco Khmer Phnom Penh Cambodia
Stay Farmhouse Smiling Gecko Kampong Chhnang Cambodia
Stay Mulberry Boutique Hotel Siem Reap Cambodia
Taste Sala Baï Siem Reap Cambodia
Taste The Lonely Tree Café Battambang Cambodia
Tour / Cruise Wildlife Alliance Release Station Koh Kong Cambodia
Tour / Cruise Artisans Angkor Siem Reap Cambodia
Do Cambodia Living Arts Phnom Penh Cambodia
Tour / Cruise Ayana Journeys Siem Reap Cambodia
China
Do Lanxu Eco-Culture Development Center Dali, Yunnan China
Do Yunnan Mountain Heritage Foundation Shangri La, Yunnan China
Do Leye-Fengshan Geopark Guangxi China
Stay The Wenhai Ecolodge Dali, Yunnan China
Stay Horsepen 46 Dali, Yunnan China
Stay Vinetree Gaoligong Tented Resort Gaoligong, Yunnan China
Stay Yangshuo Village Inn Yangshou, Guangxi China
Taste Pear Blossom Organic Dali, Yunnan China
Taste Nixi Black Pottery Coffee Shangri La, Yunnan China
Tour / Cruise Xintou Ecotourism Lijiang, Yunnan China
Stay Shaxi Old Theatre Inn Dali, Yunnan China
Stay The Bivou Lijiang, Yunnan China
Do Yunnan Mountain Heritage Foundation Shangri La, Yunnan China
Do Leye-Fengshan Geopark Guangxi China
Stay The Wenhai Ecolodge Dali, Yunnan China
Stay Horsepen 46 Dali, Yunnan China
Stay Vinetree Gaoligong Tented Resort Gaoligong, Yunnan China
Stay Yangshuo Village Inn Yangshou, Guangxi China
Taste Pear Blossom Organic Dali, Yunnan China
Taste Nixi Black Pottery Coffee Shangri La, Yunnan China
Tour / Cruise Xintou Ecotourism Lijiang, Yunnan China
Stay Shaxi Old Theatre Inn Dali, Yunnan China
Stay The Bivou Lijiang, Yunnan China
Lao PDR
Do TAEC Luang Prabang Lao PDR
Do Nahm Dong Park Luang Prabang Lao PDR
Do Heuan Chan Heritage House Luang Prabang Lao PDR
Shop Passa Paa Luang Prabang Lao PDR
Shop Saoban Crafts Vientiane Lao PDR
Stay Sinouk Coffee Resort Champasak Lao PDR
Stay Namkhan Ecolodge Luang Prabang Lao PDR
Stay Kingfisher Ecolodge Champasak Lao PDR
Taste Saffron Coffee Luang Prabang Lao PDR
Taste Tamarind Café Luang Prabang Lao PDR
Tour / Cruise The Vat Phou Mekong Cruise Pakse Lao PDR
Do Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park Wildlife Tours Nam Et Lao PDR
Do Nahm Dong Park Luang Prabang Lao PDR
Do Heuan Chan Heritage House Luang Prabang Lao PDR
Shop Passa Paa Luang Prabang Lao PDR
Shop Saoban Crafts Vientiane Lao PDR
Stay Sinouk Coffee Resort Champasak Lao PDR
Stay Namkhan Ecolodge Luang Prabang Lao PDR
Stay Kingfisher Ecolodge Champasak Lao PDR
Taste Saffron Coffee Luang Prabang Lao PDR
Taste Tamarind Café Luang Prabang Lao PDR
Tour / Cruise The Vat Phou Mekong Cruise Pakse Lao PDR
Do Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park Wildlife Tours Nam Et Lao PDR
Myanmar
Do The Inle Horse Club Shan State Myanmar
Do Green Hill Valley Elephant Camp Shan State Myanmar
Shop Plan Bee Pinyada Myanmar
Shop Aidii Collections Chin State Myanmar
Stay Arakan Nature Lodge Rakhine State Myanmar
Stay Lalay Lodge Ngapali Beach Myanmar
Taste Yuwaddy Center Yangon Myanmar
Taste Veranda Youth Community Cafe Hpa An Myanmar
Tour / Cruise Myanmar Adventure Outfitters Lashio Myanmar
Tour / Cruise Uncharted Horizons Yangon Myanmar
Taste Sanon Restaurant Bagan Myanmar
Tour / Cruise Sampan Travel Yangon Myanmar
Do Green Hill Valley Elephant Camp Shan State Myanmar
Shop Plan Bee Pinyada Myanmar
Shop Aidii Collections Chin State Myanmar
Stay Arakan Nature Lodge Rakhine State Myanmar
Stay Lalay Lodge Ngapali Beach Myanmar
Taste Yuwaddy Center Yangon Myanmar
Taste Veranda Youth Community Cafe Hpa An Myanmar
Tour / Cruise Myanmar Adventure Outfitters Lashio Myanmar
Tour / Cruise Uncharted Horizons Yangon Myanmar
Taste Sanon Restaurant Bagan Myanmar
Tour / Cruise Sampan Travel Yangon Myanmar
Thailand
Do Elephant Poopoopaper Park Chiang Mai Thailand
Shop Thai Tribal Craft Chiang Mai Thailand
Shop SRANN Phrae Thailand
Stay Phu Chai Sai Mountain Resort Chiang Rai Thailand
Stay The Tongsai Bay Koh Samui Thailand
Taste Better Moon Café Bangkok Thailand
Taste Theera Bake Room Bangkok Thailand
Taste The Passport Restaurant Tak Thailand
Tour / Cruise SiamRise Travel Bangkok Thailand
Tour / Cruise Bangkok Vanguards Bangkok Thailand
Do Anurak Lodge Surat Thani Thailand
Do Andaman Discoveries Pang Nga Thailand
Shop Thai Tribal Craft Chiang Mai Thailand
Shop SRANN Phrae Thailand
Stay Phu Chai Sai Mountain Resort Chiang Rai Thailand
Stay The Tongsai Bay Koh Samui Thailand
Taste Better Moon Café Bangkok Thailand
Taste Theera Bake Room Bangkok Thailand
Taste The Passport Restaurant Tak Thailand
Tour / Cruise SiamRise Travel Bangkok Thailand
Tour / Cruise Bangkok Vanguards Bangkok Thailand
Do Anurak Lodge Surat Thani Thailand
Do Andaman Discoveries Pang Nga Thailand
Vietnam
Do Omamori Spa Ha Noi Viet Nam
Do Zó Project Ha Noi Viet Nam
Shop Mekong Quilts Ho Chi Minh City Viet Nam
Shop Craft Link Ha Noi Viet Nam
Shop Indigo Cat Sapa Viet Nam
Stay Mekong Rustic Can Tho Viet Nam
Stay Ngoc Son Ngo Luong Nature Reserve Hoa Binh Viet Nam
Stay Phong Nha Farmstay Quang Binh Viet Nam
Taste Oriberry Ha Noi Viet Nam
Tour / Cruise Sapa Sisters Trekking Sapa Viet Nam
Shop Tohe Ha Noi Viet Nam
Stay Mr. Linh’s Homestay Bac Kan Viet Nam
Please visit www.MekongTourism.org for more information.
Please visit www.DestinationMekong.com for more information.
Do Zó Project Ha Noi Viet Nam
Shop Mekong Quilts Ho Chi Minh City Viet Nam
Shop Craft Link Ha Noi Viet Nam
Shop Indigo Cat Sapa Viet Nam
Stay Mekong Rustic Can Tho Viet Nam
Stay Ngoc Son Ngo Luong Nature Reserve Hoa Binh Viet Nam
Stay Phong Nha Farmstay Quang Binh Viet Nam
Taste Oriberry Ha Noi Viet Nam
Tour / Cruise Sapa Sisters Trekking Sapa Viet Nam
Shop Tohe Ha Noi Viet Nam
Stay Mr. Linh’s Homestay Bac Kan Viet Nam
About the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office:
The Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO), located in Bangkok, was set up with funding from the governments of the six Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) countries – Cambodia, the People’s Republic of China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam. The MTCO, which operates on annual financial contributions from each GMS country, acts as the secretariat for the GMS Tourism Working Group, comprising of senior officials of the six GMS countries’ National Tourism Organizations, to coordinate and facilitate sustainable tourism development of the GMS, and promotion of the Mekong region as a single travel and tourism destination, in collaboration with the public and private sectors. The MTCO manages its award-winning MekongTourism.org digital platform as a one-stop platform to promote responsible and sustainable tourism in the region, as well as the annual Mekong Tourism Forum, whose hosting is rotated among GMS countries.Please visit www.MekongTourism.org for more information.
About Destination Mekong:
Destination Mekong was created in 2017 to promote the Mekong region, comprising of Cambodia, PR China (Provinces of Guangxi and Yunnan), Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam as a single tourism destination to stimulate responsible and sustainable development and investment, and drive inclusive growth. Endorsed by the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office and aligned with the mandate of the regional collaborative tourism framework of the six-member governments of the Greater Mekong Sub-region, Destination Mekong executes targeted projects and initiatives, including Mekong Moments, Mekong Mini Movie Festival, Mekong Innovations in Sustainable Tourism (MIST), Experience Mekong Collection, Mekong Heroes, and Mekong Trends, with feedback from the Mekong Tourism Advisory Group (MeTAG) and via public-private partnership investment structure, led by UNWTO Affiliate Member Chameleon Strategies.Please visit www.DestinationMekong.com for more information.
Photo credit: Couple cycling around Angkor temple, Siem Reap, Cambodia. (Fabio Lamanna/shutterstock.com)
Tags: 2021 Experience Mekong Showcases, Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), MTCO initiatives, Responsible Tourism, sustainable tourism
Website: www.DestinationMekong.com
Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office
c/o 3rd Floor, Department of Tourism, Ministry of Tourism and Sports, 154 Rama 1 Road National Stadium, Wangmai, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Web: www.mekongtourism.org
Tel: +66 2038 5071-1
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