2024 to send new Mekong tourism initiatives into overdrive

As tourism bounces back in earnest, National Tourism Organizations (NTOs) around the Greater Mekong Sub-Region are preparing new projects and initiatives to improve the traveler experience, tap new tourism markets and build new routes to former “hidden gems”.

Let’s start with Thailand, which has set a best-case scenario of 35 million new arrivals in 2024. To achieve this goal, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) plans to encourage increased flights and appeal to growth markets like India, Kazakhstan, and Russia.

Lao PDR, for their part, has just launched its “Visit Laos Year 2024” campaign, including a calendar of 79 cultural events. Beyond popular events like the Lao New Year Festival and That Luang Festival, tourists can also see provincial festivals like the Bolaven Coffee-Tea Festival in Champasak Province, “Oh Luang Prabang You are Simply Beautiful 2” in Luang Prabang, and more.

The campaign is expected to attract 2.7 million foreign visitors and generate USD 401 million in revenue, according to the Lao PDR Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism.

Finally, January 1 will see the launch of a trial "e-Arrival Card" scheme in Cambodia, replacing the paper forms travelers must fill out upon arrival. The trial period will run from 1 January to 30 June, enhancing the travel experience for tourists arriving through Cambodia’s international airports – including the newly-opened Siem Reap International Airport.

What other tourism developments await the rest of the Mekong Sub-region in 2024? Read this newsletter to find out what’s in store!
* Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO)  https://mekongtourism.org/