Sustainable Destination Management
Strategies in the OIC Member Countries
91
Facilitation of visa procedures
All GMS members of ASEAN have enacted the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Visa
Exemption, which exempts citizens of ASEAN member states holding valid national passports
from visa requirements (to visit other ASEAN countries party to the agreement) for a period of
stay of up to 14 days. Most GMS countries also offer various forms of visa exemption for priority
markets based on the ASEAN+3 cooperation framework or bilateral agreements.
Regarding the availability of visa-on-arrival, international visitors from up to 180 countries can
easily obtain a tourist visa on arrival at 46 land checkpoints, and about 20 airports and tourist
e-visas are available for travel to Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam. While improving, tour
operators and independent travelers often mention the lack of reliable information about visa
requirements and procedures as an impediment to multi-country travel 302 . Furthermore,
passport and visa controls at border crossings of river-based cruises and boat trips in the
countries bordering the Mekong River remain a barrier to growth. Although there is increasing
liberalization (i.e., Vietnam’s recent visa-free offer to five European countries), the process is
still seen as cumbersome and costly.303 The need was expressed in working collaboratively in
GMS on a joint-visa-policy.304
Responsible engagement
Much of the economic growth and related social achievements generated by these corridors is
fueled and sustained by the corridor’s natural capital. However, since the corridors are also in
regions where other economic development takes place, many developments along these
corridor roads are exceeding the regeneration and coping capacity of the natural capital
(resilience), leading to natural resource depletion, land degradation, loss of biodiversity and
genetic diversity, and extensive water, soil, and air pollution. In turn, the loss in natural capital
has direct implications on the performance of GMS program investments along the corridors,
particularly sector investments that rely heavily on intact ecosystem services - beside
hydropower, especially tourism.305 At this point in time, solutions to the development/tourism
dilemma have not been found. It is suggested that more initiatives should work on this topic in
the future.306
Conflict management among stakeholders
Neither the literature nor the interviews cited previous instances of major conflicts among the
stakeholders, which will need to be managed by internal or external entities. However, the ADB
was appointed as an advisor; in case there would be an ongoing, unsolved conflict, probably
the ADB would take over the role as mediator.307
302 Ibid.
303 World Tourism Organization, Mekong River-Based Tourism Product Development.
304 Interviews with Chairwoman of Myanmar Tourism Marketing and Teamleader, GIZ, Laos
305 Asian Development Bank, Economic Corridor Development for Inclusive Asian Regional Integration. Modeling Approach to
Economic Corridors.
306 Interview with Head of Project and Administration, ADB
307 Interview with Executive Director of MTCO