Laos Buffalo Dairy (LBD) is the first and only buffalo dairy in Laos PDR, producing a wide array of artisanal cheeses and milk products which are directly sold to local and international customers. Located near Luang Prabang, the farm offers visitors a unique opportunity to visit dairy and production facilities, taste delicious cheeses and get up close with buffaloes and other farm animals.
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Yangshuo Mountain Retreat (YMR) has been widely recognised by a number of international travel magazines as one of the ‘must visit’ hotels on earth. Situated on the banks of the Yulong River in Yangshuo county, near Guilin city of China, the lodge develops a strong business model that focusses on sustainable tourism, cultural conservation and community development. Through the beauty of surroundings, the place offers high quality of customer services, and sustainable business practices that have a positive impact to environments and local communities.
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The Elephant Valley Project (EVP), the original elephant sanctuary in Cambodia, is dedicated to rescuing captive elephants and supporting conservation work protecting wild elephants. Visitors get an opportunity to observe elephants in their natural habitat and learn more about the conservation in the local area.
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As ASEAN pursues greater regional integration and the development
of a single economic community, advancements in the region’s
aviation industry are essential to boost economic connectivity and
tourism. Half the world’s population live within five hours of ASEAN,
making it a natural transportation hub for visiting the region’s sunny
beaches, accessing growing economic opportunities.
As ASEAN pursues greater regional integration and the development
of a single economic community, advancements in the region’s
aviation industry are essential to boost economic connectivity and
tourism. Half the world’s population live within five hours of ASEAN,
making it a natural transportation hub for visiting the region’s sunny
beaches, accessing growing economic opportunities.
21 June 2022, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Destination Mekong held its first Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 3 June 2022, together with the election of its new Executive Board Members.
Destination Mekong (DM) held its first Annual General Meeting since its incorporation as a full-fledged company in January this year. The AGM took place virtually and was attended by DM full members and guests.
Ms. Catherine Germier-Hamel, CEO of Destination Mekong, introduced DM’s purpose, goals, and structure to the audience, stressing the importance of providing an inclusive framework that enables all kinds of members to participate actively. She also presented recent partnerships between Destination Mekong and other organizations sharing the same values, such as the South-Pacific Tourism Organisation, the Seoul Tourism Organization, and Planeterra, as well as its membership in the Small Islands Developing States Tourism Organizations (SIDS). Mr. Gerrit Kruger, Chief Marketing Officer of Destination Mekong, presented its Charter, which the members adopted without objection.
The 15 candidates for the new Executive Board of Directors were then given the opportunity to introduce themselves before processing the election through an online system. By the DM Charter, full members (Destination Mekong Changemakers) were invited to rank the candidates by order of preference.
As a result, the eight following people are now officially sitting on the new Executive Board:
As a result, the eight following people are now officially sitting on the new Executive Board:
Ms. Duangmala Phommavong, Co-Founder and Partner | EXO Travel Lao
Mr. Fréderic Tambon, Founder & CEO | Society and Fred, Expert in international marketing, tourism industry, and education
Mr. Guido Neil, Director Special Operations | 12Go
Mr. Mark Bibby Jackson, Founder | Travel Begins at 40
Ms. Melita Koulmandas, CEO/Founder | Song Saa Collective
Mr. Nguyen Tuan Linh, Owner | Mr. Linh’s Adventures Travel Company Limited
Dr. Sasithara Pichaichannarong, Rector | College of Tourism, Hospitality, and Sports, Rangsit University, Thailand | RSU Vista Golf Course
Ms. Sophea Sok, Regional Program Manager, Asia-Pacific | Planeterra Foundation
Additionally, Board Members representing the most significant financial contributors to Destination Mekong are:
For Small Luxury Hotels of The World: Mr. Mark Wong, Senior Vice President Asia Pacific
For the World Wildlife Fund (WWF): Mr. Jedsada Taweekan, Regional Illegal Wildlife Trade Program Manager for WWF-Greater Mekong
For Enwoke: Prof. Hailin Zhang, Professor at Guilin Tourism University
For Chameleon Strategies: Mr. Gerrit Kruger, Managing Director
For Sasin School of Management: Dr. Ian Fenwick, Director
Finally, ex-officio Board Members are:
Mr. Willem Niemeijer, outgoing Chairman of the Interim Board of Destination Mekong and CEO of Yanna Ventures;
Ms. Catherine Germier-Hamel, CEO of Destination Mekong;
Dr. Jens Thraenhart, Founder of Destination Mekong.
After completing the elections, several upcoming initiatives and projects were presented, such as publications by the Destination Mekong Working Group on Academia and Education. It was also announced that Destination Mekong would prioritize the execution of the new Mekong Tourism Recovery Communications Plan, starting with the release of the much-expected Mekong Stories book in June.
To become a Destination Mekong Changemaker, please go to:
https://www.destinationmekong.com/membership/ or contact us.
-ENDS
19 May 2022, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Destination Mekong has launched its campaign to elect its first Executive Board as part of its journey toward building a unified and resilient tourism industry in the Greater Mekong Subregion.
Since the incorporation of Destination Mekong as a full-fledged company in January 2022, its Executive Team has worked hard on consolidating the organization, driving membership, building partnerships, and exploring funding opportunities.
As a continuation, Destination Mekong has now launched the campaign to elect its new Executive Board during its first Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 03 June 2022. The AGM will be held in a hybrid format and open to members, representatives of partners, and non-members. It will include the confirmation of the DM Charter and the election of a new Executive Board by voting members (Changemakers), with eight seats available in the first year.
The list of candidates for the Executive Board is composed of 16 professionals with impressive backgrounds in travel, tourism, and hospitality in Asia, highly committed to sustainable development and local community empowerment in the Mekong region:
Ms. Duangmala Phommavong, Co-Founder and Partner | EXO Travel Lao
Mr. Fréderic Tambon, Founder/CEO | Society and Fred, Expert in international marketing, tourism industry, and education
Mr. Guido Neil, Director Special Operations | 12Go
Mr. Hailin Zhang, Professor at Guilin Tourism University
Mr. Jacques Guichandut, Managing Director | All Dreams Cambodia Co. Ltd.
Mr. Jean Claude Dhuez, Owner | Sâmata
Mr. Mark Bibby Jackson, Founder | Travel Begins at 40
Ms. Melita Koulmandas, CEO/Founder | Song Saa Collective
Mr. Miquel Angel Perez Martorell, Founder | MQL Sustainable Tourism Services
Dr. Neal F. Bermas, Founder | STREETS International
Mr. Nguyen Tuan Linh, Owner | Mr. Linh’s Adventures Travel Company Limited
Mr. Nick Ray, Principal at Hanuman Films. Lonely Planet Writer for Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Tourism Consultant with the World Bank
Dr. Sasithara Pichaichannarong, Rector | College of Tourism, Hospitality, and Sports; Chairperson | RSU Vista Golf Course, Thailand
Mr. Sean Too, Chief Eco Consultant | Sentinel Solution Thailand Co Ltd
Ms. Sophea Sok, Regional Program Manager, Asia-Pacific | Planeterra Foundation
Dr. Soriya Yin, Associate Professor, Environmental Science | American University of Phnom Penh
The profiles of candidates can be consulted here: https://www.destinationmekong.com/executive-board-election.
Besides the elected members, the DM Executive Board will also include Dr. Jens Thraenhart, as the founder of Destination Mekong, Mr. Willem Niemeijer, in his role as past Chair of the Interim Board of Directors, and representatives of the largest private-sector supporters of Destination Mekong, including a permanent seat for its founding contributor UNWTO Affiliate Member Chameleon Strategies.
Catherine Germier-Hamel, CEO of Destination Mekong, stressed that “these are challenging yet exciting times for Destination Mekong and its growing community of members, partners, and supporters. To create impact and value for all, we will not only need coordination, cooperation, and innovation but also motivation, dedication, and compassion. The candidates to our Executive Board all have these qualities, together with being true changemakers and role models”.
Dr. Jens Thraenhart, Founder of Destination Mekong and former Executive Director of the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO), praised the list of candidates and stressed that “the new DM Executive Board will contribute to the success of the mission of Destination Mekong and its innovative strategies, models and operations. One of the reasons for establishing Destination Mekong was to foster a strong and balanced public-private-partnership framework to boost tourism recovery and resilience in the GMS aligned to the Tourism Strategy”.
Willem Niemeijer, Chairman of the interim board and CEO of Yaana Ventures, and Michael Marshall, Vice-Chair of the Interim Board and CCO of Minor Hotels, commented on the high quality of the list and are looking forward to handing over their board positions to the new members.
Up to one day before the elections, 2 June 2022, all professionals active in the Greater Mekong Subregion and interested in being part of building a sustainable, inclusive, and united regional tourism destination can become Changemakers (Full voting Members) at a special launch rate.
To become a Destination Mekong Member, please go to:
https://www.destinationmekong.com/membership/
Besides its existing initiatives, Destination Mekong will prioritize the execution of the new Mekong Tourism Recovery Communications Plan, starting with the release of the much-expected Mekong Stories book in June.
-ENDS
As a social business, Soksabike aims to provide tourists with the chance to experience the authentic
Cambodia and to promote a direct tourist spending to the local entrepreneurs.
As ASEAN pursues greater regional integration and the development
of a single economic community, advancements in the region’s
aviation industry are essential to boost economic connectivity and
tourism. Half the world’s population live within five hours of ASEAN,
making it a natural transportation hub for visiting the region’s sunny
beaches, accessing growing economic opportunities.
As ASEAN pursues greater regional integration and the development
of a single economic community, advancements in the region’s
aviation industry are essential to boost economic connectivity and
tourism. Half the world’s population live within five hours of ASEAN,
making it a natural transportation hub for visiting the region’s sunny
beaches, accessing growing economic opportunities.