The Asian Development Outlook (ADO), published by the Asian Development Bank last July, found the tourism rebound in “full swing” throughout the Asia-Pacific. “Revenge travel continues to lift tourist arrivals and related activities,” the ABD outlook pointed out.
However, unlike the “old normal” pre-pandemic, today’s national tourism organizations (NTOs) are far more conscious about the price they paid for overtourism in the past. Today’s tourism will look slightly different from the old days.
“Dispersed tourism” has become the new gold standard for the region. Travelers are encouraged to go beyond the touristy areas, visiting places like Champasak in Laos, Guilin in Guangxi, China PRC, and Kep in Cambodia.
NTOs are also using publications like the newly-launched Achieving the Sustainable Development Goal through Tourism – Toolkit of Indicators for Projects (TIPs) to help align tourism development projects with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted by all United Nations members.
This should help create a more sustainable and inclusive future along the way.
By aligning tourism strategies and policies with the new realities of tourism, Mekong countries can ensure a more balanced approach to tourism development that prioritizes not just economic growth but also social inclusivity and environmental sustainability.
The Mekong's countries are prioritizing a "more dispersed geographical approach to tourism", which spreads the benefits of the travel industry beyond the region's the most popular tourist destinations.
*Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) Email: info@mekongtourism-mtco.org
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