Formulating a Plan for Tourism Development in the Cambodia – Laos – Vietnam Development Triangle Area

On 15 July, in Pleiku City, Gia Lai Province, a seminar on “Formulating a Plan for Tourism Development in the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Area” was held. Leaders of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism and Gia Lai Provincial People’s Committee co-chaired the seminar and delivered welcome remarks and congratulatory notes. There were nearly 70 delegates representing the tourism related stakeholders including Ministry of Tourism of Cambodia, Ministry of Culture, Information and Tourism of Laos; Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ministry of Planning and Investment of Vietnam, and representatives of 13 provinces in the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Area (CLV DTA).
On behalf of the Viet Nam Formulating Working Group, Vietnam National Administration of Tourism delivered an introductory report. Other important speeches by concerned stakeholders were presented, which come from Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Gia Lai namely “Current Situation of tourism development and connectivity potentials in the Cambodia – Laos – Vietnam development triangle area“; Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Dak Lak: “Opportunities and challenges in tourism development links of the CLV Development Triangle Area“; Development Strategy Institute under Ministry of Planning and Investment of Vietnam: “Plan onn connectivity of the three economies, the ability of resources mobilization to develop infrastructure and services in the CLV DTA“; Ministry of Tourism of Cambodia: “Proposal on planning infrastructure and technical facilities development to promote tourism growth in the CLV DTA“; Ministry of Culture, Information and Tourism of Laos: “Proposal on planning tourism products and tourism promtotion development in the CLV DTA“.
At the seminar, the discussions on the following issues were widely discussed: Conserving culture to develop tourism, facilitating and providing opportunities for local people; Developing infrastructure, especially unique roads; The ambitious target 2 million international tourists to 2025 as compared to currently international arrivals; Attractive tourism resources, although there are many similarities but not completely duplicated, especially in cuisines; Obstacles in customs clearance procedures and policies.
Accordingly, the participants raised a number of comments and recommendations for the working group to consider in formulating the Plan. Details are as follows: Building partnerships and mobilizing resources from society, businesses and people; Building responsible tourism products associated with environmental protection, heritage and culture conservation; Upgrading tourism infrastructure, especially the transportation; Strengthening the mechanism of association, sharing, mutual support, common brand promotion, removing obstacles and barriers, such as issuing visas on arrival, among others.
Dr. Ha Van Sieu, Vice chairman of VNAT expressed his appreciation for the active participation of the stakeholders in the unanimous agreement, determination to undertake joint research, complete the Plan for developing tourism of CLV DTA. “This is an important foundation for the three countries to establish policies, facilitating development, and attracting sound investment” he said. Vice chairman of VNAT also highlighted the outputs of the Plan, including: Policy making and development on the following areas:

• Infrastructure, technical facilities, service facilities
• Number of tourist arrivals
• Tourism Promotion
• Human resource development
• Developing resources mobilization.

In the following day of 16 July 2019, in Buon Me Thuot City, Dak Lak Province, the Working group memebers participated in the Consultation Meeting of the 3 countries’ working groups on formulation of Tourism Development Plan for the CLV DTA. The representatives of VNAT chaired the meeting. The parties discussed and agreed related to report structure, the timeline and process of the Plan approval and reviewing English terms. Accordingly, the VNAT adjusts and sends the draft to member states in order to submit to the Ministers for their comments to be finished. As planned, the contents of the Plan will be agreed upon at the next meeting of the Working Group on 27 August 2019 in the Vientiane capital of Laos, in advance of official approval by the Ministers at the Summit in 2020 in Laos and final approval by the Prime Ministers of the three countries.

Chien Thang