The ACC Facilitate Deeper GMS Tourism Cooperation

     From 24 to 27 June 2025, the 55th Meeting of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Tourism Working Group and the 2025 Mekong Tourism Forum were held successively in Luang Prabang, the Lao PDR. The ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) was invited to participate the events. The meetings brought together delegates from national tourism authorities of the GMS countries, international organizations including the Asian Development Bank and ASEAN-Japan Centre, as well as representatives from the tourism industry and business community.

     At the 55th Meeting of the GMS Tourism Working Group on 24 June, Ms. Suvimol Thanasarakij, Executive Director of the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO), highlighted the remarkable achievements of GMS countries in developing tourism infrastructure, promoting tourism markets, and advancing sustainable tourism. She underscored that the MTCO will continue to play a coordinating role, with a focus on facilitating cross-border tourism, advancing joint regional branding, promoting sustainable and inclusive practices, fostering the application of digital technology, and enhancing capacity building for tourism practitioners.
     Ms. Liu Xiao, Deputy Director of the Education, Culture and Tourism Division of the ACC, briefed the outcomes of ACC’s tourism cooperation with GMS countries during the first half of 2025. She also outlined the ACC's priorities and work plan for tourism cooperation under the framework of the ASEAN-China Year of People-to-people Exchanges 2025. Representatives from participating countries shared updates on the tourism development and the progress of major projects, and held in-depth discussions on priorities for the next phase of cooperation.

     At the Mekong Tourism Forum convened on 26 June, H.E. Madame Darany Phommavongsa, Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism of the Lao PDR, delivered opening remarks. She noted that this year’s Forum, themed "United Journey, Stronger Together", embodies the shared vision of enhanced collaboration among governments, the private sector, development partners, and local communities across the region. She called for continued joint efforts to promote community-based tourism, digital tourism, and green tourism innovation, so as to advance high-quality development of the regional tourism.

     The Forum witnessed the official release of the “GMS Tourism Strategy 2030”. This Strategy places emphasis on sustainability, digitalization, resilience, and regional cooperation, with a focus on building sustainable destinations, developing human capital, strengthening stakeholder engagement and enhancing destination marketing, which provides a strategic framework to guide sustainable tourism development in the region over the next five years.