ITE: CLMV ministers set tourism agenda

HO CHI MINH CITY, 18 September 2012: Tourism ministers of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, announced a tourism plan for the region covering 2013 to 2015 during their first ever joint meeting last Friday.

Held on the sidelines of the 8th International Travel Expo in Ho Chi Minh City, 13 to 15 September, the 1st Meeting of CLMV Tourism Ministers made a joint declaration to cooperate on the development of tourism products, infrastructure and to jointly promote  the four countries, one destination campaign.

Plan outline

• Cooperate to ensure there is visitor exchange and target 25 million international trips to the four countries by 2015.

• Exchange information on tourism planning and marketing.

• Cooperate on joint tourism product development.

• Assist each other on human resource development.

• Establish the standardization of tourism services and quality improvement.

• Cooperate on tourism investment promotion.

• Work with third party international organisations

• Hold annual ministerial meetings in rotation with Cambodia as the host for next year. The city mayors meetings for the four countries plus Thailand will be held back-to-back to help prepare agendas for the ministerial meeting.

Vietnam minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Hoang Tuan Anh said of all the points, human resources was the most important because the quality of people skills will determine the quality of the products.

Because the four countries are developing  infrastructure as well as tourism products, Mr Hoang added: “We recognise  the short-comings in human resources and  related  problems and will put all effort to overcome the challenges.

“The four countries will invest in infrastructure and will enhance connectivity – air and land transport. Vietnam has invested a lot and we encourage other countries to do so.”

Sourced: ttrweekly