Sustainable Destination Management
Strategies in the OIC Member Countries
81
Quoc Island, and the Imperial City in Hue. The two main cities—Ho Chi Minh and Ha
Noi— are also popular destinations. 271
The tourism characteristics of these countries allow them to jointly provide a large variety of
experiences, including man-made and natural attractions, cultural experiences, as well as
dining and wellness experiences, which are unique to specific regions in the GMS. This provides
visitors with the opportunity to travel to multiple countries in the region and have
complementing experiences.
Overall, tourism in GMS is flourishing. The subregion’s outstanding cultural and natural assets
attract more than 65 million international visitors per year.
Table 19: Visitor arrival in 2017 in Mekong Tourism countries
Country International tourist arrivals
Thailand 35,381,210
Vietnam 12,922,151
Cambodia 5,602,157
Yunnan/China 5,080,000
Laos 3,868,838
Myanmar 3,443,133
Source: ASEAN Travel (2019)
Across the GMS, tourism employs about 10 million people and contributes substantially to
social and economic progress. According to the ADB, the steady economic growth enjoyed by
developing Asia over the past two decades is expected to continue, especially as an enabler of
short and medium-haul outbound tourism. Increasing wage employment with paid holidays is
providing further impetus for both domestic and outbound tourism in that region.272
In order to support GMS tourism development, the GMS tourism sector strategy was completed
in 2005 273 .and updated in 2016 274 Although there has been some progress in the
implementation of some specific objectives, such as the implementation of capacity building
initiatives, such as the Mekong Moments initiatives, overall progress has been slower than
expected,275 mainly based on its ambitious program of 29 priority projects, implemented by
Mekong Tourism Coordination Office, with very limited resources (2-3 persons only). The GMS
Strategic Framework 2012–2022 276 provides the overarching GMS vision of an integrated,
prosperous, and equitable subregion. The strategic direction for sub-regional tourism
cooperation is to develop and promote the Mekong as a single tourism destination. In this
271 Ibid.
272 Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office, Experience Mekong: Greater Mekong Subregion Tourism Marketing Strategy and
Action Plan 2015–2020.
273 Asian Development Bank, Greater Mekong Subregion Tourism Sector Strategy 2005–2015 (Mandaluyong City: Asian
Development Bank, 2005).
274 Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office, Greater Mekong Subregion Tourism Sector Strategy 2016-2025 (Bangkok: Mekong
Tourism Coordinating Office, 2016. Retrieved from
2025/).
275 Asian Development Bank, Strategy and Action Plan for the Greater Mekong Subregion East-West Economic Corridor .
276 The Greater Mekong Subregion Economic Cooperation Program Strategic Framework 2012–2022 (Mandaluyong City: Asian
Development Bank, 2011. Retrieved from
2022.pdf).