Sustainable Destination Management
Strategies in the OIC Member Countries
79
3. Case Studies
3.1. Global Tourism Corridors
3.1.1. The Greater Mekong Subregion Tourism Corridor
A. Background
The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) comprises six countries that are linked by the Mekong
River: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and parts of the People’s Republic of
China (PRC), (Yunnan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region). Since the early
1990s, the GMS countries have seen exceptional economic growth, “facilitating region’s
transformation into regional economic powerhouse261.” To counteract increasing disparities
among these six countries and between urban centers and rural areas, the Asian Development
Bank (ADB) has developed an economic corridor model focusing on transboundary roads
between major commercial centers, aligning these roads through remote areas. In total nine
corridors have been developed by the ADB in the GMS262.
With its over 350 million inhabitants, the vast array of landscapes, a multitude of ethnic groups,
and differing histories, the GMS is a diverse and dynamic region that includes a variety of
outstanding tourism attractions. In recognition of the substantial contribution that tourism can
make to poverty reduction, sustainable development, and inclusive economic growth, sub-
regional tourism cooperation has been included as a flagship program, the so-called Greater
Mekong Subregion (GMS) tourism program, in the GMS Economic Cooperation Program 263 by
1993. The focus during the first decade was sub-regional cooperation initiatives in the tourism
sector based on marketing the GMS as a single destination, developing tourism-related
infrastructure, improving the quality of human resources, promoting the dialogue between
private and public sectors, and facilitating the movement of tourists in the subregion 264.
The GMS has abundant tourism assets, including the iconic Mekong River, many archaeological
sites, lush tropical monsoon forests, rare wildlife, and pristine sea beaches. Diverse cultural
heritage, such as religious and vernacular architecture, music, literature, cuisine, and diverse
ethnic knowledge, enrich this subregion, and add to the appeal of its striking landscapes and
vibrant urban centers. There are 22 properties inscribed on the United Nations Educational,
Scientific, and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) World Heritage List, and 692 internationally
categorized natural protected areas covering 547,645 square kilometers. The expansion of the
gaming industry is also a key driver of intraregional tourism 265 . Furthermore, the GMS is
261 Asian Development Bank, Economic Corridor Development for Inclusive Asian Regional Integration. Modeling Approach to
Economic Corridors (Mandaluyong City: Asian Development Bank, 2014. Retrieved from
).
262 Ibid.
263 World Tourism Organization, Mekong River-Based Tourism Product Development (Madrid: UNWTO, 2016. Retrieved from
).
264 Asian Development Bank, Strategy and Action Plan for the Greater Mekong Subregion East-West Economic Corridor
(Mandaluyong City: Asian Development Bank, 2010. Retrieved from
).
265 Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office, Experience Mekong: Greater Mekong Subregion Tourism Marketing Strategy and
Action Plan 2015–2020 (Bangkok: Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office, 2015. Retrieved from -