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Monday – June 15, 2015
UNWTO/PATA Mekong Tourism Marketing Workshop: Thematic Routes
13:00 – 13:10
Welcoming Remarks:
> Dr. Ha Van Sieu, Vice Chairman, Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT)
Introduction (PDF)
> Jens Thraenhart, Executive Director, MTCO
MC:
> Ivy Chee, IC Global
13:10 – 13:20 Concept Paper Presentation 1 (PDF)
Ocean & River Tourism presented by United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
Speakers:
> Eric Ricaurte, Lead Consultant of the UNWTO report, Sustainable Cruise Development Strategies: Tackling the Challenges in Itinerary Design in South-East Asia
> Le Tuan Anh, Deputy Director General of Marketing Department, Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT)
13:20 – 13:30 Concept Paper Presentation 2 (PDF)
Community-based Tourism presented by Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) in partnership with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)
Speakers:
> Chris Bottril, Dean of the Cappilano University, Vancouver, Canada and PATA Board Member
13:30 – 13:40 Concept Paper Presentation 3 (PDF)
Adventure Tourism presented by Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA)
Speakers:
> Natasha Martin, ATTA Consultant
13:40 – 13:50 Concept Paper Presentation 4 (PDF)
Food Tourism presented by Thammasat University
Speakers:
> Jens Thraenhart, Executive Director, MTCO
13:50 – 14:00 Coffee Break
14:00 – 16:00 Breakout Sessions in 4 Groups
River-based Tourism Lead Facilitator: Harmony Lamm, Deputy Manager, UNWTO Regional Support Office for Asia Pacific
Community-based Tourism Lead Facilitator: Chris Bottril, Dean of the Cappilano University, Vancouver, Canada and PATA Board Member
Adventure-based Tourism Lead Facilitator: Natasha Martin, ATTA Consultant
Food-based Tourism Lead Facilitator: Luc Citrinot, ASEAN Travel & Nancy Cockerell, WTTC
16:00 – 16:15 Coffee Break
16:15 – 16:30 Outcome Presentation 1
16:30 – 16:45 Outcome Presentation 2
16:45 – 17:00 Outcome Presentation 3
17:00 – 17:15 Outcome Presentation 4
17:15 – 17:30 Wrap-up and Closing Remarks
Tuesday – June 16, 2015
Mekong Tourism Social Media Boot Camp
09.30 – 10.00 Welcome & Opening Remarks
> Dr. Ha Van Sieu, Vice Chairman, Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT)
Being social online and offline requires certain rules of collaboration – explore what it takes to create a foundation of trust and engagement.
> Jens Thraenhart, Executive Director, Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO)
MC: Bruce Hancock
10.00 – 10.30 Social Media
Leveraging Facebook and Instagram to engage travelers. (PDF)
Matt Hulen, Head of Travel, Facebook
10.30 – 11.00 Online Reviews
The importance of managing Tripadvisor as a platform. (PDF)
Matt Zato, Destination Manager ASEAN, Tripadvisor
11.00 – 11.30 Networking Break
11.30 – 12.00 Reputation Management
Michael Chin, Vice President APAC, ReviewPro
12.00 – 14.00 Lunch
14.00 – 14.30 Mobile
How to develop a mobile strategy that engages visitors pre, during, and post trip. (PDF)
Vineet Butki, Co-Founder, Guiddoo
14:30 – 15:00 Networking Break
15.00 – 15.30 China
Market via social media and online to Chinese consumers. (PDF)
George Cao, CEO & Co-Founder, Dragon Trail China
15.30 – 16.00 E-Tourism in Viet Nam
Marketing Online in Viet Nam. (PDF)
Le Tuan Anh, Deputy Director General Marketing, Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT)
16.00 – 16.30 E-Tourism in South East Asia
Marketing Online in South East Asia (PDF)
Sieng Van Tran, CEO, Egg Digital Vietnam
16.30 – 17.00 The Future of Travel Marketing for Small and Medium Sized Tourism Businesses
What is on the horizon when it comes to Digital Innovation in Asia. (PDF)
Stephen Joyce, Former Chair of the Open Travel Alliance & CEO of Rezgo (Canada)
17.00 – 17.30 E-Xperience Mekong
Expert Panel and Open Forum Discussion:
How can digital and social media be leveraged to market the GMS to the world and share experiences and stories online?
Facilitators:
> Ivy Chee, former Regional Director East Asia, PATA & Managing Director, IC Global Associates
> Bruce Hancock
Wednesday – June 17, 2015
Mekong Tourism Investment Summit
The global theme of The Mekong Tourism Forum Investment Summit relates to how innovative partnerships can be created across sectors of the Tourism Industry, to successfully unlock the potential of the Greater Mekong Sub region (GMS). The ultimate goal of the Investment Summit 2015 is to create a white paper for both the Ministries of Tourism of the GMS as well as the private sector.
09:00 – 09:30 Welcome and Opening
MC: Bruce Hancock
Speaker:
> Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan, Chairman of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT)
> Jens Thraenhart, Executive Director, Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO)
09:30 – 10:00 The Big Picture:
An overview of tourism performance across the GMS – mature vs. developing vs. untapped destinations – PDF
Speaker: Daniel Voellm, Managing Director Asia Pacific, HVS
10:00 – 10:30 Coffee Break
Opportunity Features:
Key stakeholders promoting their country and/or companies for potential partnerships and foreign investment
10:30 – 11:15 Practitioner Perspectives: Investing & Operating in the GMS
Active players in developing, investing in and operating hotel and tourism projects in the GMS share their seasoned views on the opportunities and challenges for aspiring players.
Moderator: Robert Hecker, CEO, Horwath HTL
Panel:
> Vanessa Koo, Director Development, Accor Hotels
> James Kaplan, SVP Development, Minor Group
> Peter Semone, Chief Technical Advisor, LANITH
> Peter Ryder, CEO, Indochina Capital Corporation
11:15 – 12:00 Alternative Accommodation Models: Beyond Hotels, Getting Out of the Box
Greater Mekong is seeing a shift in tourism demand for more authentic and boutique experiences. Learn more about niche offerings such as riverboats, tented camps, private island hideaways and “poshtels”, which are creating a global buzz in the Mekong region.
Moderator: Bill Barnett, CEO, C9 Hotelworks
Panel:
> Mr. Dang Bao Hieu, CEO, Focus Travel Viet Nam
> Rory Hunter, CEO, Song Saa Resort, Cambodia
> Sokoun Chanpreda, CEO, HMD Asia (owner/operator of Shinta Mani Siem Reap)
> Jack Bartholomew, Regional Director IndoChina, Khiri Travel
12:00 – 13:15 Lunch
13:15 – 13:45 Case Study: Viet Nam
Viet Nam has seen rapid tourism development, and especially Da Nang City at the central coast. Sun Group will share its experience in helping transform the beach town in a major tourism destination
Speaker: Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Lan, Sun Group Viet Nam
13:45 – 14:30 What’s Hot & What’s Not: Experience Mekong
Cross border cultural routes – rural and local experiences, panel by Tour Operators, River Cruising and the Mekong
Moderator: Chris Pucher, Director, HVS Bangkok
Panel:
> Steven Schipani, Senior Sector Specialist, Asian Development Bank (ADB)
> Jack Bartholomew, Regional Director IndoChina, Khiri Travel
> Tran Thi Nguyet Que, Vice Dean, Faculty of Tourism, Hanoi Open University
14:30 – 15:30 Break
Movie Screening: Gringo Trails
15.30 – 17.30 Introduction by the Director & Producer
Speaker: Pegi Vail, Director & Melvin Estrella, Producer of the film “Gringo Trails” (http://gringotrails.com/trailer/)
GRINGO TRAILS is a feature-length documentary that raises urgent questions about one of the most powerful globalizing forces of our time: tourism. Spanning South America, Africa and Asia, the tourist pathway known as the “gringo trail” has facilitated both life-altering adventures and the despoiling of many once virgin environments. The film follows stories along the trail to reveal the complex relationships between colliding cultures: host countries hungry for financial security and the tourists who provide it in their quest for authentic experiences.
“We travel, initially, to lose ourselves,” says best-selling travel writer Pico Iyer; “and we travel, next, to find ourselves.” We travel for escape and for encounter, to challenge our assumptions and our limits, and to expand our visions of the possible. As dramatically as travelers are altered by new landscapes, values and belief systems, they also unavoidably alter the people and places they visit.
GRINGO TRAILS first takes us on a harrowing journey with one man’s story of getting lost in the Amazon jungle in 1981 that has had an unexpected effect on future generations. We meet the original inhabitant of an island on the Salt Flats of Bolivia as he faces the dilemma of trying to preserve its ecosystem while still allowing outsiders to experience its unique magic. We see the unintended but devastating impact of a traveler’s search for an ‘unspoiled’ island paradise in Thailand and the ethical quandries of locals in a position to profit from tourism. We follow a woman’s personal transformation as her romantic fantasies about ‘the unknown’ meet reality in Timbuktu. We also meet locals worldwide as they express the desire for visitors to better understand how to respectfully walk on their sacred lands, including one indigenous community that has become a model for sustainable tourism in South America.
Thursday – June 18, 2015
Mekong Tourism Symposium 2015
08.30 – 09.00 Vietnamese Cultural Performance
- MC: Mr. Tran Phu Cuong, Deputy Director International Cooperation Department, Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT)
09.00 – 10.00 MTF2015 Ceremony
- Official Speeches
> Mr. Le Khanh Hai, Vice Minister of Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of Viet Nam
> Mr. Phung Tan Viet, Vice Chairman of Dan Nang City People’s Committee
> Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan, Chairman of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT)
- MC: Bruce Hancock, CEO, Passion Plus
BLOCK 1: Opportunities and Challenges for Innovative Partnerships in the GMS
10:00 – 10:10 Introduction
> Jens Thraenhart, Executive Director, Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO)
10.10 – 10.30 Keynote Presentation:
Unlocking the Potential of the GMS via Innovative Partnerships
The Mekong region is one of the last frontiers in the world for authentic travel experiences. How can public and private sector work together to leverage opportunities and overcome challenges in positioning the GMS as must-visit, multi-country destination.
Speech by Peter Semone, ADB Consultant & Chief Technical Advisor, LANITH Lao PDR
PS: Peter Greenberg, Travel Editor of CBS News, who was originally scheduled to keynote and emcee MTF 2015 had to cancel last minute due to a medical emergency in his family. He apologizes for not being able to join Mekong Tourism Forum this year in Viet Nam.
10.50 – 11.10 Networking Break
Time out to explore The Mekong Trading Post, a Time out to explore The Mekong Trading Post, a marketplace showcasing products and services that are “Made in the Mekong” and connect local producers with the global value chain. Enjoy local tea, coffee and snacks, and other local delicacies prepared by KOTO students. KOTO is an NGO that trains kids in service and hospitality.
11.10 – 11.30 Capacity Building and Human Resources Development via Innovative Partnerships – Example: Viet Nam
The foundation of delivering great travel experiences are amazing people working in the tourism industry. For the last18 years, the NGO KOTO in Viet Nam has trained under privileged children to work in the hospitality industry in the country, and as such has increased the level of service.
Presented by Dana McNairn, CEO of KOTO – PDF
Followed by Interview with Peter Semone (LANITH, Laos)
11:30 – 12:00 Innovative Partnerships & Protection of the GMS
Culture. Heritage. People. Legacy. Panel discussion with senior executives of travel and tourism firms operating in the GMS as well as representatives from National Tourism Organizations to discuss how the public and the private sector has to collaborate in protecting the cultural assets of the GMS in order to preserve the destination as a must-visit, all-season tourism destination, promoting multi-country travel to secondary destinations.
Moderated by Mason Florence, CEO of Talisman Media & former Executive Director of the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO)
Panelists:
> Sokoun Chanpreda, CEO, HMD Asia (owner/operator of Shinta Mani Siem Reap)
> Jack Bartholomew, Regional Director IndoChina, Khiri Travel
> Dr. Ha Van Sieu, Vice Chairman, Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT)
> Luc Citrinot, Editor in Chief, ASEAN.travel
> Maaike de Lange, SwissContact (Lao PDR)
12.00 – 13.30 Lunch
BLOCK 2: Learning from Case Studies for Innovative Partnerships in the GMS
13.30 – 13.50 Developing Innovative Partnerships that drive Product Distribution: Case Study Australia
Case Study of the successful implementation of the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW) – a project led by Tourism Australia and the Provincial Tourism Organizations in Australia to develop capacity training, build a database of tourism services and distribute products electronically via the ATDW platform.
Presented by Liz Ward, former CEO and founder of the ATDW – PDF
13.50 – 14:10 Developing Innovative Partnerships that drive Unique Positioning: Case Study Thailand
Thailand has developed a unique infrastructure in bringing public and private sector together in marketing the country as a top tourism destination to the world. The “Discover Thainess” Campaign is a great example to introduce new and lesser destinations, and promote the unique culture as a true differentiator in a competitive marketplace.
Presented by Kittipong Prapattong, Director ASEAN Division, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) – PDF
14:10 – 14:30 Case Study Viet Nam: Developing Innovative Partnerships that drive Destination Development
Viet Nam has successfully implemented public and private partnerships to develop destinations. The new Viet Nam Tourism Advisory Board has been leveraged to drive collaboration and engagement among various stakeholders.
15:00 – 15.30 Networking Break
Time out to explore The Mekong Trading Post, a marketplace showcasing products and services that are “Made in the Mekong” and connect local producers with the global value chain. Enjoy local tea, coffee and snacks, and other local delicacies prepared by KOTO students. KOTO is an NGO that trains kids in service and hospitality.
BLOCK 3: Putting Innovative Partnerships into Action in the GMS
15:30 – 15:50 Innovative Partnerships & Product Development:
Outcome & Recommendations from the Mekong Tourism Marketing Workshop
UNWTO and PATA together with partners ATTA and Thammasat University will present the results from the Monday workshop on thematic marketing and product development.
Moderated by:
Chris Bottril (Capilano University)
Michael Haynes (ATTA)
Le Tuan Anh (VNAT) – PDF
15:50 – 16.10 Innovative Partnerships & Tourism Development:
Outcome & Recommendations from the Mekong Tourism Investment Summit
The Mekong Tourism Investment Summit debated how innovative partnerships can help fuel responsible growth and development in the GMS.
Moderated by Robert Hecker (Horwath HTL), Chris Pucher (HVS), Bill Barnett (C9 Hotelworks)
16.10 – 16.30 Innovative Partnerships & Story Telling:
Outcome & Recommendations from the Mekong Tourism Social Media Boot Camp
Disruption and reinvention through technology has driven tourism development throughout the 20th century. Yet it is not the technology in itself that drives that evolution but rather the new business models that are enabled and created through new technologies. The Social Traveler is relying on social and mobile to plan, book, and share travel experiences. Engage in a lively discussion to focus on three key source markets for the GMS: China, India, and the Southeast Asia.
Moderated by Jens Thraenhart (MTCO)
Panelists: Vineet Butki (Guiddoo), Sieng Van Tran (Egg Digital), and George Cao (Dragon Trail)
Launch of the new MekongTourism.org Digital Platform
Presenter: Jens Thraenhart, Executive Director of the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO)
16.30 – 17.00 Innovative Partnership in the GMS:
Strengthening the Mekong Tourism Advisory Group (MeTAG) for public-private sector collaboration
Moderated by
> Mason Florence, CEO of Talisman Media & former Executive Director of the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO)
17.00 – 17.30 Wrap-up and Closing
Speaker:
> Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan, Chairman of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT)
17.30 – 19.00 Free Time
19.00 – 23.00 Farewell Gala Dinner
Hosted by MCST of Viet Nam