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UNWTO CONFERENCE TOURISM – A CATALYST FOR DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE

- 11-14 JULY 2016

PASSIKUDAH, SRI LANKA

WWW.MEKONGTOURISM.ORG / SOCIAL MEDIA: @TOURISMMEKONG

UNWTO CONFERENCE ON TOURISM & PEACE

UNWTO INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TOURISM & PEACE

11-14 JULY 2016

PASSIKUDAH, SRI LANKA

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WWW.MEKONGTOURISM.ORG / SOCIAL MEDIA: @TOURISMMEKONG

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ABOUT THE GREATER MEKONG SUB-REGION (GMS)

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Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS)

• Cambodia • China

• Guangxi • Yunnan

• Laos • Myanmar • Thailand • Vietnam

• Greater Mekong is home to more than 95 different ethnic groups

• Each have distinct customs and traditions, culture, language and beliefs

• All reliant on the Mekong River as a life-source, but interact with the environment in many different ways

Economic Cooperation Program

Initiated in 1992

Asian Development Bank supported

Aims ◦ To facilitate sustainable economic growth and reduce poverty by strengthening economic linkages among the six member countries

Vision: ◦ Prosperous, integrated and harmonious subregion

Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS)

Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO)

Multi-lateral Collaboration

Headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand

Core operations are financed by contributions from its owners, the six Mekong countries.

Tasked with: ◦ Coordinate the Tourism Working Group (TWG)

◦ Coordinating the priority programs of the GMS Tourism Sector Strategy

◦ Implementing joint marketing activities

◦ Promoting the “Mekong” as a single destination

◦ Convene the annual Mekong Tourism Forum

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Experiences of a lifetime

MYANMAR

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W

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Interviewing: HE Yee Mon - Permanent

Secretary, Myanmar Ministry of Hotels and

Tourism &

Owner Myanmar Hill Lodges

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ISSUES: • 135 TRIBES > UNITED MYANMAR • CONFLICT ZONES BETWEEN MYANMAR

ARMY AND TRIBES •NEW GOVERNMENT > AGREEMENT

BETWEEN MILITARY AND CIVIL

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CONFLICT AREAS:

1. Kachin Conflict

2. Rohingya Conflict in Rakhine State

3. Shan Conflict

4. Chin, Karen (Kayin) and Mon Conflicts

NORTHERN MYANMAR: KACHIN STATE & PUTAO

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THAILAND

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SITUATION: • CONFLICT ZONE: KACHIN STATE • PERCEIVED CONFLICT IN THE NORTH,

BUT PUTAO IS CONFLICT FREE • TRAVEL ADVISORY DON’T ENDORSE

TRAVEL TO THE NORTH OF MYANMAR

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CHALLENGES: • PEACE AGREEMENT NOT SIGNED YET •GOVERNMENT CANNOT GUARANTEE

SAFEGUARD TO POTENTIAL INVESTORS • INTERNATIONAL FUNDING NOT USED

FOR INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

CASE STUDY: MYANMAR HILL LODGES & PUTAO LODGE

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Hkakaborazi National Park is the home to South East Asia's highest peak. Protecting one of the

region's most bio-diverse tracts of forest.

CASE STUDY: • PUTAO LODGE BUILT IN 2007 • REVENUE GENERATING IN 2009 & 2010 • CONFLICT ERRUPTS IN 2011 IN KACHIN STATE • CLOSING OF THE LODGE IN 2012 • RE-OPENING OF THE LODGE IN 2013

• SLOW START DUE TO PERCEIVED CONFLICT • DOMESTIC TOURISM INCREASING – EUROPE AND NORTH

AMERICA STILL SLOW (PERCEIVED CONFLICT) • PRIOR TO CONFLICT 80% INTERNTIONAL / 20% DOMESTIC

– NOW 60%/40% (NOW ONE FLIGHT PER DAY AVAILABLE)

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TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN NORTHERN MYANMAR

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DEVELOPMENT: • NO DEVELOPMENT WITHOUT PEACE AGREEMENT • ONCE PEACE AGREEMENT, RAPID DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED • NO TOURISM POLICY OR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PLAN IN

PLACE • ABSENCE OF PEACE AGREEMENT PROTECTS THE

“PURE TOURISM EXPERIENCE” • NO INVESTMENT STALLS DEVELOPMENT

• ROAD FROM MYITKYN (KACHIN) TO PUTAO DESTROYED DURING CONFLICT

• BRIDGES IN MOUNTAINS USED FOR TREKKING (TOURISM) NOT USUABLE

LOCAL COMMUNITY: • TOURISM PROVIDES OPPORTUNITY FOR EMPLOYMENT,

REVENUES, AND GENERATES HANDICRAFT INDUSTRY • TOURISM IS AN IMPORTANT ECONOMIC ACTIVITY • IF NOT ENOUGH TOURISM, LOCAL RESIDENTS ENGAGE IN

ACTIVITES THAT HARM THE ENVIRONMENT TO MAKE MONEY FOR SURVIVAL • HUNTING: DEER, MONKEYS, RED PANDA, MOUNTAIN GOATS • PICKING WILD ORCHIDS AND MEDICINAL PLANTS • PANNING GOLD IN RIVER BANKS – KILLS FISH POPULATION

(MERCURY)

Thank you

JENS THRAENHART, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

MEKONG TOURISM COORDINATING OFFICE (MTCO)

TEL: +66 2612 4150 – 1 FAX: +66 2612 4152

EMAIL: JENS@MEKONGTOURISM.ORG

WWW.THRAENHART.COM

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WWW.MEKONGTOURISM.ORG / SOCIAL MEDIA: @TOURISMMEKONG