SNV Tourism advisors from Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam recently joined over 150 key industry, government and INGO representatives from the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) at the 2010 Mekong Tourism Forum in Siem Reap.

The Forum, titled ‘New Roads, New Opportunities’ focused on the potential for developing the tourism sector in the region to capitalise on the opening of new road corridors, along with the challenges currently facing the industry.

SNV advisors shared their expertise as panelists in a number of forum sessions, including sessions on ‘Pioneering Mekong Tourism Products’, ‘The Path to Community-based Tourism’, ‘How Sustainable Tourism Can Drive Profit’, and ‘The Road Ahead’.

Alongside the Forum, SNV representatives took part in the meeting of the GMS Technical Working Group, further aligning SNV’s tourism programs with the broader GMS strategy, and made a presentation to the ADB-Sustainable Tourism Development Program Working Group detailing SNV’s unique programmes and approach.

SNV Asia also hosted a promotional booth at the Forum showcasing SNV’s Pro-poor Sustainable Tourism products and services across the region, including Responsible Business in Tourism, the Mekong Discovery Trail (currently being expanded from Cambodia to Lao PDR) and the Northern Heritage and Highlands trails in northern Laos and Vietnam.  

The 2011 MTF will be hosted by Lao PDR in Champasak province.