January 12, 2024
VIENTIANE – Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam are stepping up efforts to develop a joint action plan to conduct the “Three Countries, One Destination” tourism campaign to boost regional tourist flows, the Cambodian media reported.
The Lao Ambassador to Cambodia, Baukeo Phumvongsay, paid a courtesy visit on Tuesday to the kingdom’s Minister of Tourism Sok Soken to discuss opportunities for cooperation in sustainable and resilient tourism between the neighbouring countries, according to Khmer Times.
The Minister and the Ambassador discussed plans for technical officials of the three countries to develop the joint action plan known as ‘Three Countries, One Destination”. They also touched on the possibility of organising a Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam trilateral ministerial meeting during the Asean Tourism Forum (ATF) to be held in Vientiane, Laos, this month.
ATF is the biggest annual tourism event in the Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region. It is attended by top industry policy-makers, practitioners and providers of Asean-based tourism products and services. AFT-associated events include dialogues among government tourism bodies and the private sector, and a travel exchange (TRAVEX) featuring Asean exhibitors and international buyers from major travel markets.
According to Khmer Times, the Minister and the Ambassador also discussed the possibility of enhancing bilateral tourism cooperation and exploring new ways to attract international tourists to Cambodia and Laos.
The push to realise the “Three Countries, One Destination” campaigns following support from the governments of the three countries for the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam trilateral tourism cooperation.
The joint initiative was discussed by Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh during their working breakfast meeting on the margins of the Commemorative Summit for the 50th Year of Asean-Japan Friendship and Cooperation in Tokyo in mid-December.