Confusion over joint Asia tourism campaign
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Updated October 11, 2010 22:11:56
In an attempt to compete with the region’s more established tourist destinations, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Burma have come up with a new strategy to lure foreign tourists. They have teamed up to promote themselves as one destination. But the plan is not without its challenges.
Presenter: Helene Hofman
Speakers: Cheah Wai Hong, International Travel Expo 2010, Ho Chi Minh City; Somphong Mongkhonvilay, minister and chairman, Lao National Tourism Authority; Tin Tun Aung, managing director, Union of Myanmar Travel Association
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HOFMAN: ‘Four Countries – One Destination’.
That’s the slogan that Cambodia, Vietnam, Burma and Laos hope will net them thousands of new visitors. But competition in the region is tough.
China is by far the best performer. Last year, it attracted close to 51 million arrivals. Cheah Wai Hong, who helped organise the International Travel Expo in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, earlier this month, says it’s hard for smaller Asian destinations to compete.
WONG: If you are one country, you can’t compete with China. Similarly, the big destinations in South East Asia, like Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, those are established destinations. So, the way I look at it, the only way to really tap into large tourist groups [...], when they group it together, they will be much more attractive.
HOFMAN: But Cambodia, Vietnam, Burma and Laos are far behind the region’s tourism leaders. Malaysia’s tourism industry has exploded in recent years and with 23 million arrivals in 2009 it crept into the world top ten at number nine. Even neighbouring Thailand attracted close to 8 per cent of the Asia Pacific region’s tourists last year – that’s over 14 million people. And there are major disparities between the four countries involved in the joint promotion.
Vietnam may have just 2 per cent of the world market share, but Ho Chi Minh City has already established itself as a major transport hub for that corner of the region. Even Cambodia, with just over 1 percent of the market share, had almost twice as many visitors as Laos last year. But that didn’t stop the three agreeing on a three way promotion strategy back in 2007 and they have now welcomed Burma into their partnership.
Somphong Mongkhonvilay, minister and chairman of the Lao National Tourism Authority, says the partnership is already working for his country but admits Laos can’t match Cambodia and Vietnam’s contribution.
MONGKHONVILAY: For example, last year we have an increase of 16 per cent as compared to 2008 and the number of Vietnamese tourists has in increased in Laos, the Chinese has increased in Laos, and also the Japanese, the Korean. They know Vietnam and Cambodia better than they know Laos.
HOFMAN: Burma’s tourism industry is note even two decades old and it counts an estimated 750,000 visitors annually. And although Vietnam and Cambodia argue they will get tourists attracted to Burma’s unspoiled landscapes, Tin Tun Aung from the Union of Myanmar Travel Association concedes the agreement weighs in Burma’s favour.
AUNG: Of course there’s competition nowadays, we have to admit that we are lagging but we are catching up. We lack infrastructure but we have a beautiful destination – more variety, more diversity – so, that is our main strong point.
HOFMAN: Laos, Cambodia, Burma and Vietnam will continue to promote themselves individually, outside of the ‘Four Countries – One Destination’ campaign. The initiative is still its early stages, but it is hoped it will result in better transport links between the four countries’ main attractions. There are also plans to invite more tour operators to design cross border packages. Suggestions that all four should consider issuing joint visas have, for the time being, been rejected.
