Cities in Mekong lower reaches boost tourism cooperation

A delegation of Vietnam led by Director of Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Tourism Bui Ta Hoang Vu attended a conference on tourism development of five cities of Mekong countries, which took place in Vientiane capital city of Laos on October 14.

Vietnamese delegation at the event

The event, the fifth of its kind, also saw the participation of tourism leaders of Phnom Penh, Vientiane, Yangon and Bangkok.

They discussed measures to improve and upgrade tourism products and services and enhance attraction of cities in Mekong River’s lower reaches.

The event was designed to link tourism human resources, as well as bolster and arrange activities in this field of Mekong tourist cities. It was viewed as a significant stride in the tourism cooperation framework of Mekong nations and the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS).

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Governor of Vientiane Sinlavong Khutphaythoun affirmed that following previous editions of the conference, countries which Mekong River flows through and the five cities in particular have cooperated and exchanged experience for further development.

The Lao official said leaders of the country always support the tourism development strategy of Mekong nations and pledge to fulfil its duties to strengthen cooperation between the cities and countries, thereby bringing about practical results.

Participants reviewed results of cooperation between the cities, discussed standards of services, along with cultural and natural heritage conservation and restoration, among others.

The sides issued a joint statement and approved a joint action plan in the 2019-2020 and the host of the sixth edition slated for 2020.

VNA