During its second Summit on 21-22 October, Destination Mekong proudly honored late Srey Bandaul, co-founder of Phare Ponleu Selpak in Cambodia, as its second Mekong Hero.
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18 November 2021, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Destination Mekong became a proud signatory of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism at the COP26.
As part of its efforts to play a leadership role in the global tourism community, Destination Mekong became a signatory and launch partner of the Glasgow Declaration on climate Action in Tourism, which was launched on 4 November 2021 during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26).
Founded in 2017, Destination Mekong (DM) is the regional tourism organization dedicated to championing the Mekong region, comprising Cambodia, PR China (Provinces of Guangxi and Yunnan), Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam, as a sustainable and inclusive tourism destination.
The Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism unites travel and tourism behind a common set of pathways for climate action, aligning the sector with global commitments and catalyzing collaborative solutions to the many challenges facing businesses and destinations globally.
The Glasgow Declaration encourages the acceleration of climate action in tourism by securing commitments to reduce emissions in tourism by at least 50% over the next decade and achieve Net Zero as soon as possible before 2050.
As a signatory of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, Destination Mekong has committed to aligning its actions with the latest scientific recommendations to ensure its approach remains consistent with a rise of no more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by 2100. It also has agreed to deliver or update climate action plans within 12 months, align programs with the five pathways of the Declaration (Measure, Decarbonise, Regenerate, Collaborate, Finance), report publicly on an annual basis, and work in a collaborative spirit, sharing good practices and solutions, and disseminating information.
“More than ever, the global tourism industry has a unique opportunity to demonstrate its transformative power through inspiring and driving climate action. It’s not only an emergency but also a matter of human dignity.” Catherine GERMIER-HAMEL, CEO, Destination Mekong
The Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism brings together the latest research and global expertise to galvanize climate action. It will be hosted within the One Planet Sustainable Tourism Programme’s website, supported by Recommended Actions for tourism stakeholders across the world to consider as part of their action planning, alongside other resources. As the declaration states: “A just transition to Net Zero before 2050 will only be possible if tourism’s recovery accelerates the adoption of sustainable consumption and production, and redefines our future success to consider not only economic value but rather the regeneration of ecosystems, biodiversity, and communities.”
The need for a globally consistent approach for climate action in tourism has been made clear, notably through research into CO2 emissions carried out by UNWTO/ITF and released at the UNFCCC COP25 in December 2019. This showed that transport-related emissions from tourism were forecast to increase by 25% by 2030 from 2016 levels, against the current ambition scenario.
As the global tourism industry is slowly getting back on track, Destination Mekong (DM) has recently appointed a new Executive Team composed of Catherine Germier-Hamel as CEO, Gerrit Kruger as Chief Marketing Officer, Gavin Bell as Chief Development Officer, and Jens Uwe Parkitny as a strategic advisor, in an honorary capacity, effective 1 November.
This ‘dream team’ was formed by Jens Thraenhart, Founder of Destination Mekong and former Executive Director of the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO), before starting a new career as CEO of Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.
Chief Executive Officer
I first traveled to the Mekong region through the many stories shared by my parents about their childhood, and the delicious food prepared by my mother and my grandmothers. It took me a while to finally make the trip. I was in my early thirties when I visited the region for the first time, starting with Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. I immediately felt a sense of familiarity and belonging and became passionate about the beauty and diversity of all the places I discovered throughout the years. Most importantly, I have truly valued the hospitality, generosity, and spirituality of the people I had a chance to meet. In so many ways, they helped me reconfirm my life purpose.
I was born, raised, and educated in France, with half of my roots grounded in the Mekong region: my parents are both Eurasians from Indochina, like my grandparents. I wanted to explore the world and make it a better place for all from a young age. For over 25 years, I have built an international career dedicated to global and local development, including nine years in the field of environmental utilities. In 2005, I relocated to Korea with my husband, and since then, I have gained experience in sustainable tourism development and marketing, as director of global programs and consultant, then impact entrepreneur.
I believe the Mekong region has the potential to stand as a model of inclusive and harmonious growth through sustainable tourism development. I am strongly determined to actively support all efforts to promote it as an attractive, resilient, and vibrant travel destination, based on innovative business models and solutions. The tourism and hospitality industry can and should provide job and income opportunities to the locals while making sure no one is left behind. It is also essential that it empowers them so that they can lead their life proudly and independently. Together, let’s rebuild the Mekong region as a safe haven for all.
Shinobu Hayama Special Advisor (Japan-Mekong Cooperation) Linkedin-in What excites you about the Mekong Region? Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand have gifted me some of the most transformative journeys since my university years. Each destination has…
Martin Mouchenik Project Manager Linkedin-in What excites you about the Mekong Region? The Mekong region holds a special place for me, I had the opportunity to travel and discover a part of its variety…
Neal Bermas Special Advisor (Social Enterprise) Linkedin-in External-link-alt What excites you about the Mekong Region? Simply put, what doesn’t excite me about the region? Since my first visit 20 years ago, the sites, smells,…
Sak Usakphea Business Development Representative – Cambodia Linkedin-in What excites you about the Mekong Region? I was born and raised next to the Mekong River in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. During my education and while…
16 November 2021, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Destination Mekong is strengthening its executive capacities towards playing a leading role in the post-COVID tourism recovery in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS).
As the global tourism industry is slowly getting back on track, Destination Mekong (DM) is taking a new step as the regional tourism organization dedicated to championing the Lancang-Mekong region, comprising of Cambodia, PR China (Provinces of Guangxi and Yunnan), Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam, as a sustainable and inclusive tourism destination.
Destination Mekong officially introduced its new Executive Team at the beginning of the 2021 Destination Mekong Summit, which took place online on 21 and 22 October 2021, under the theme of “Re-start > Re-form > Re-balance”.
On this occasion, Jens Thraenhart, Founder of Destination Mekong and former Executive Director the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO), presented the four members of the DM “Dream Team”: Catherine Germier-Hamel, Gerrit Kruger, Gavin Bell, and Jens Uwe Parkitny, which all had the opportunity to share their visions and passions in taking their new responsibilities.
Recordings of the 2021 DMS here: https://www.destinationmekong.com/dms21/.
Thraenhart stressed that the new Executive Team was “truly world-class and made of experts in their fields, to make sure Destination Mekong can grow and aid the acceleration of the recovery in the Mekong Region”.
He stated that his “proudest accomplishment was to set up a private sector-led regional tourism board with innovative and award-winning programs and initiatives, to execute the mandate of the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) to foster public-private sector cooperation.” On 1 November, Jens Thraenhart started a new career as CEO of Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.
The appointment of Catherine Germier-Hamel as Chief Executive Officer, Gerrit Kruger as Chief Marketing Officer, and Gavin Bell as Chief Development Officer was effective 1 November. Jens Uwe Parkitny is acting as a strategic advisor in an honorary capacity.
Germier-Hamel, a Eurasian born in France with family heritage from the Mekong region, has lived in Seoul, South Korea, since 2005. Over the past 15 years, she has developed an international career as sustainable tourism development and marketing consultant, and impact entrepreneur.
Gerrit Kruger, a German national, has been involved in the management of Destination Mekong since its creation in 2017 while serving as Managing Director of Chameleon Strategies, an innovative Strategy Think Tank, and an Affiliate Member of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation.
Since 2018, Gavin Bell, a British citizen, gained expertise over nearly 30 years of working with governments, international organizations, and the private sector on sustainable tourism initiatives based in Phnom Penh and working with the Ministry of Tourism.
Jens Uwe Parkitny, German, is a well-known tourism executive who has worked for prominent travel and hospitality brands in the Asia Pacific Region. He is the co-owner of Loikaw Lodge by the Lake in Myanmar.
Destination Mekong is currently in the process of being incorporated as a legal entity in Singapore. Its executive office will be hosted by the Ministry of Tourism of the Kingdom of Cambodia in Phnom Penh, under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between DM and the Ministry of Tourism, which will also assign local staff.
Over the following months, the Executive Team will focus its efforts on building a strong community of individual, corporate and institutional members and raising funds to support its operations. Its short-term action plan also includes the publication of the Experience Mekong Collection, showcasing responsible and sustainable travel experiences in the Greater Mekong Subregion, and implementing value-added services and solutions to enhance the exposure of its members.
Additionally, Destination Mekong will develop strategic partnerships with organizations sharing the same values and interests. As a start, Destination Mekong has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with the Pacific Tourism Organization (SPTO), to develop mutual tourism collaboration between the six countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion and 20 Pacific Island countries (PICs), based on sharing information, knowledge, and best practices to foster sustainable and inclusive tourism.
During the 2021 DM Summit, the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Tourism Recovery Communications Plan “Unlimited Experiences, Unlimited Stories” was also unveiled, establishing a framework for the activities of Destination Mekong.
https://www.destinationmekong.com/2021/10/31/gms-tourism-recovery-communications-plan/
Committed to playing a leadership role within the global tourism community, Destination Mekong became a proud signatory of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism launched on 4 November 2021 during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26). The Glasgow Declaration encourages the acceleration of climate action in tourism by securing commitments to reduce emissions in tourism by at least 50% over the next decade and achieve Net Zero as soon as possible before 2050.
The new CEO of Destination Mekong, Catherine Germier-Hamel, states that “More than ever, the global tourism industry has a unique opportunity to demonstrate its transformative power through inspiring and driving climate action. It’s not only an emergency but also a matter of human dignity.”
Chief Marketing Officer
"To create good tourism, we need to build pride in communities in their culture, offerings, and products and provide capacity to enable balanced tourism. Only people who like their communities, will invite others to experience."
During my travels in the region, I am always amazed about the variety of experiences it offers. Even within one country, the regions provide different environments, cultures, and vistas. The Khao Yai National Park in Thailand is very different from Chon Buri. The Mekong Delta in Vietnam is different from the central parts of the country. Luang Prabang is different from Vientiane. What excites me is learning about the life stories of the people, especially those, who want to make an impact. There are many things to learn from them on how they overcame adversities and what gives the strength to build a life for their families and support their communities.
I have been working in tourism since I was a student of civil engineering in Weimar, Germany. During that time, I took my first hotel service job and got excited about the services and hospitality industries. I later worked for the World Exhibition and the Autostadt, which is a theme park by Volkswagen, before I decided to change my studies to international marketing and tourism. This brought me to Asia, where I studied at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore before joining the Singapore Tourism Board. Afterwards, I started my first own businesses, supplying hotels with teas and consulting companies on marketing and branding. Year later, I was asked to help Dusit Hotels & Resorts with their branding and loyalty programs, which brought me from Singapore to Bangkok, where I joined Chameleon Strategies, which is the lead partner in Destination Mekong. Overall, I have worked in this sector for close to 20 years and had the privilege to work on a number of exciting international projects in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East and I hope to use this knowledge to support the industry in the region.
Research has shown that people have the most engagement from stories. When friends tell you about their holidays, the experiences they had, and the people they met, you are more likely to consider a trip to the same region than when seeing a corporate video or advertisement. You will remember the content of the story more than when you are reading a book and you will feel more emotionally connected to it. The Mekong region has a lot of stories to tell. Stories that inspire, stories that make you think, stories that make you want to experience this wonderful region and its people. I believe by telling these stories, not only to potential tourists but also within the community, we can build a resilient and inclusive tourism sector that benefits communities and the region as a whole.
Gavin Bell Chief Development Officer Linkedin-in What excites you about the Mekong Region? After working in many other regions, coming to Cambodia in 2018 with a few weeks’ notice was my first time in…
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt Special Advisor (China Outbound) Linkedin-in External-link-alt What excites you about the Mekong Region? I have been connected for almost 50 years now with China’s tourism, economy and culture. However,…
Sak Usakphea Business Development Representative – Cambodia Linkedin-in What excites you about the Mekong Region? I was born and raised next to the Mekong River in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. During my education and while…
Sophie Hartman Special Advisor (Training) Linkedin-in What excites you about the Mekong Region? Opportunities, dynamism, resilience… These three words come to my mind every time I think of this place that I have called…