Sustainable Destination Management
Strategies in the OIC Member Countries
94
addition, a WhatsApp group has been established between TWC members and MTCO staff as a
way to share urgent matters; however, it usually is not applied.
F. Marketing
The common interests of each GMS tourism marketing objectives include (i) product
development to boost arrivals in secondary destinations and achieve a more balanced spread
of visitors throughout the year, (ii) improvement of market linkages with neighboring
countries, (iii) expansion of product distribution channels and dissemination of promotional
information, and (iv) strengthening market intelligence and public-private collaboration.314
Especially to support (ii) a joint tourism marketing strategy was formulated in the GMS
Tourism Sector Strategy and the GMS Strategic Framework 2012– 2022315. The Experience
Mekong Tourism Marketing Strategy and Action Plan 2015-2020316 aligns with GMS member
countries’ shared objectives to develop thematic multi-country tour programs and promote
secondary destinations to help distribute tourism benefits more widely. A strategic objective
of the plan is to encourage secondary destinations and encourage multi-country itineraries,
especially those with themes such as ecotourism, local cuisine, and cultural appreciation,
consistent with the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan and ASEAN Tourism Marketing Strategy.317
Figure 34: Joint Tourism Marketing and Product Development Objectives of the GMS
Greater Mekong Subregion ASEAN
- Position the GMS as a single tourism
destination
- Promote multicountry tourism in the
GMS economic corridors
- Target high-yield markets
- Improve the business-enabling
environment for product
development by the private sector
- Emphasize development of pro-poor
tourism
- Improve quality standards for
accommodation, food, and tourist
site management
- Promote intra-GMS travel
- Increase the number of tourists
traveling to Southeast Asia
- Increase multi-country visits in
Southeast Asia
- Develop experiential regional
tourism product
- Position ASEAN as a preferred
destination by focusing on
marketing and promotion efforts of
the national tourism organization
- Harness the benefits of marketing to
help meet social, economic, and
cultural goals
- Promote intra-ASEAN travel
Source: Mekong Tourism (2019)
Despite the new strategy document being developed in collaboration with the tourism industry,
the GMS tourism stakeholders have not taken full advantage of opportunities to develop and
314 Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office, Experience Mekong: Greater Mekong Subregion Tourism Marketing Strategy and
Action Plan 2015–2020.
315 Asian Development Bank, The Greater Mekong Subregion Economic Cooperation Program Strategic Framework 2012–
2022.
316 Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office, Experience Mekong: Greater Mekong Subregion Tourism Marketing Strategy and
Action Plan 2015–2020.
317 Ibid.