Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam cement their relationships with one another with new declaration

In a continuing effort to join tourism forces Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam issued an official joint declaration on trilateral cooperation at their meeting in Ho Chi Minh City last Friday. The declaration will see all three countries working with their national tourism agencies in order to increase the flow of information between themselves and knowledge of tourism development and promotion. They have all agreed to hold and attend tourism events and tours and to conduct personnel training.

Each country will also participate in promoting visitation to and raising awareness of their sister destinations and will also encourage public-private partnerships with regard to tourism development.

The meeting was the first of its kind for all three countries and was regarded by the Vietnamese Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Hoang Anh Tuan, as a milestone in boosting trilateral cooperation. He also stated that their meeting will help to build the three countries into a single tourist destination.

Cambodia Tourism Minister, Thong Khon, and Lao Minister and Chairman of the Lao National Tourism Administration, Somphong Mongkhonvilay, also shared Tuan’s sentiments and said that the declaration will help to fortify sustainable tourism development in the Greater Mekong Sub-region and the ASEAN.