Regional Cooperation: 5th ACMECS and 6th CLMV Tourism Ministers Meeting

The 5th Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) Tourism Ministers Meeting and the 6th Cambodia-Lao-Myanmar-Viet Nam (CLMV) Tourism Ministers Meeting were hosted in Cambodia from 2nd to 3rd November.

Myanmar delegation led by Union Minister for Hotels and Tourism Dr Htay Aung attended the meeting. The delegation arrived Siem Reap on the 2nd, and attended a welcome reception together with the tourism ministers from Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Viet Nam. They later visited Pub Street and Night Market which have been opened to attract tourists.

On the 3rd, the Union Minister participated in the 5th ACMECS Tourism Ministers Meeting. Cambodia Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen extended greetings via video message, highlighting that the meeting shows the strong regional solidarity.

He added that it is a special opportunity for ACMECS and CLMV tourism leaders to assess the impacts of COVID-19 on tourism sector, and set out appropriate strategies for recovery and enhance more cooperation. He urged all to enhance the exchange of tourist flow among the member states and promote cooperation to attract tourists from the third countries under the campaigns of ‘5 countries, one destination’ and ‘4 countries, one destination’.

The meeting discussed works processes to be implemented for tourism sector, resuming tourism in the region and arrival of tourists, promoting tourism market according to the ACMECS Tourism Cooperation (2023-2025) Plan of Action, human resource development, regional cooperation measures for tourism development.

The meeting also adopted the Siem Reap Declaration on ACMECS Tourism Cooperation and ACMECS Senior Officials Meeting’s Report.

During the 6th CLMV Tourism Ministers Meeting, the CLMV Tourism Cooperation Action Plan (2023-2025), and CLMV Senior Officials meeting report were discussed and adopted. Myanmar will chair 7th CLMV Tourism Ministers Meeting and related meeting in 2024 while Laos takes the Chairmanship for 6th ACMECS Tourism Ministers Meeting and related meetings.