Sustainable Destination Management
Strategies in the OIC Member Countries
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Integration of Capacity-Building, Start-Ups, and Local Communities
Through a large number of development projects being supported mainly by development
banks or bilateral partners, numerous capacity-building initiatives are now underway and are
focusing as well on community involvement. (An extensive list of these initiatives can be found
in the annex, ‘The Greater Mekong Subregion Tourism Sector Strategy 2016–2025’).
In terms of start-ups, the Mekong Innovative Start-ups in Tourism (MIST) program was
initiated in partnership with the ADB and is supported by the Australian government. Mentors
annually select travel start-ups from both within the region to drive responsible tourism
development in the Greater Mekong Subregion. Successful applicants will be invited to the
MIST boot camp and will pitch their business concepts to investors and industry experts
(mist.asia).
C. Funding sources
In recent years, the MTCO has received an annual contribution of $15,000 USD per country, for
an annual total of $90,000 USD. From 2019 onwards, each country will contribute $20,000 USD,
which means a total of $120,000 USD. These funds cover the operational costs and two full-
time staff members, who are sometimes supported by interns and external advisors. According
to the original plan, MTCO was to have been supported by a Development Director (which it
was for a few years, as subsidized by the French Government) and a Project Coordinator;
however, the latter position was never established.
MTCO is now trying to acquire status as an international governmental organization, which
would allow it to do its own fund-raising.295
D. Governance
Legal framework of corridor including monitoring, transparency and data collection
The Greater Mekong Subregion TWC had its beginnings in the ‘Workshop on Tourism
Development in Countries along the Mekong River’ held in Kunming, Yunnan Province, PRC, on
13-17 December 1994. During the workshop, it was agreed that the successful implementation
of sub-regional tourism projects would require regular consultations among the NTOs of the
six GMS countries, representatives of regional and international agencies concerned, and the
private sector. The workshop recommended the establishment of the GMS TWC, which was
subsequently endorsed by the Fifth Ministerial Conference on Subregional Cooperation.
The GMS TWC reports to GMS ministerial-level conferences and the respective governments of
each GMS country. The main objective of the GMS TWC is to provide guidance and professional
support for the implementation of sub-regional tourism projects. The TWC is comprised of
senior-level representatives of the six GMS NTOs, appointed by their
respective governments.296
Arrangements to implement and monitor strategic programs and projects follow the existing
institutional mechanism for the GMS Economic Cooperation Program. The ADB is acting as the
295 Interview with Executive Director of Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office
296 "TourismWorking Group," Mekong Tourism, accessed August 14, 2019,