SUNx Malta & Mekong Tourism to Stage 1st Strong Earth Youth Summit (SEYS) for Asia

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION
BANGKOK, 28 APRIL 2021

SUNx Malta in partnership with the Mekong Tourism Collaboration framework, made up of public sector organization Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) and private sector partnership Destination Mekong will host the first ever Climate Friendly Travel Youth Summit for Asia on Friday 30th April 2021. The ‘Strong Earth Youth Summit’ (SEYS) will include lectures, workshops and other educational activities aimed at highlighting the need for a clean and green post-Covid future for the tourism sector, in accordance with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and 2050 Paris Agreement.

The virtual event, held on 30 April, is one of three global events run in partnership with Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA), British Columbia, Canada; Institute of Tourism Studies, Malta (ITS); and Mekong Tourism.

SEYS will focus on creating awareness of Climate Friendly Travel (CFT) and on fostering ways to encourage changes for a resilient Travel & Tourism future. It aims to promote climate hope in the recovery of the tourism industry through awareness and education, youth empowerment, and engagement and action.

Describing the youth summit, Professor Geoffrey Lipman, President of SUNx Malta, said, “This is not just another of the many Travel & Tourism summits. SEYS is designed for tomorrow’s leaders by tomorrow’s leaders – the 45 students from 30 countries we have on our first ever Climate Friendly Travel Diploma Course with ITS Malta. We charged them with creating an event that would be meaningful and attractive for the “Greta Thunberg crowd”.

“SEYS will identify the core issues for the post–pandemic green and clean tourism sector. Our students are putting together a fast and fun program, with engaging speakers, who will captivate a global youth leadership audience.”

The Asia Summit include a range of speakers from Climate Change and Tourism experts such as Dr Susanne Becken, to the CEOs of Asia Travel specialists Willem Niemeijer of Yaana Ventures and Hamish Keith of EXO Travel followed by Q&A sessions.

Jens Thraenhart, Executive Director of the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office said:

“We are proud to be partnering with SUNx on this important initiative. Tourism has an essential role to play in the fight against Climate Change and it is through the next generation of change-makers that this transformation will take place. The Mekong is a region heavily dependent on tourism and we want to ensure that its long-term development is based on a Sustainable strategy which places Climate Change at the top of the agenda.”

SEYS will honour the vision and contribution of the late Maurice Strong, a close friend of Lipman, after whom the summit is named. Strong was the architect of the UN Sustainable Development and Climate Framework for half a century, and inspiration for SUNx Malta and its Climate Friendly Travel System.

“SEYS will be the first of an annual testimony to the legacy of Maurice Strong, Champion for the planet, who warned about the Climate Crisis 50 years ago and spent the rest of his life building the UN framework to respond to it,” says Lipman.

SEYS will also launch the Strong Awards to encourage students to profile Breakthrough Innovations in Climate Friendly Travel, together with Les Roches Hospitality School.

 

For more information on SEYS or to register, visit http://www.thesunprogram.com/summit

or use one of the buttons below to register for the individual events:

British Columbia / Americas Thursday 29th 09:00 (Pacific Time)

Asia-Pacific / Mekong Friday 30th April 14:00 (Bangkok)

Malta / Europe Middle – East Africa Friday 30th April (CEST)

 

About SUNx Malta

SUNx Malta is a not for profit, EU based, organisation, partnered with the government of Malta that has created a unique, low cost, system to help Travel & Tourism companies and communities transform to the New Climate Economy. The SUNx Malta “Green & Clean, Climate Friendly Travel System” is Action and Education focused – supporting today’s companies and communities to deliver on their proclaimed ambitions and encouraging tomorrow’s young leaders to prepare for rewarding careers across the sector.

 

About Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO)

The Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO), located in Bangkok, was set up with funding from the governments of the six Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) countries – Cambodia, the People’s Republic of China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam. The MTCO, which operates on annual financial contributions from each GMS country, acts as the secretariat for the GMS Tourism Working Group, comprising of senior officials of the six GMS countries’ National Tourism Organizations, to coordinate and facilitate sustainable tourism development of the GMS, and promotion of the Mekong region as a single travel and tourism destination, in collaboration with the public and private sectors. The MTCO manages its award-winning MekongTourism.org digital platform as a one-stop platform to promote responsible and sustainable tourism in the region, as well as the annual Mekong Tourism Forum, whose hosting is rotated among GMS countries.

Please visit www.MekongTourism.org for more information.

 

About Destination Mekong:

Destination Mekong was created in 2017 to promote the Mekong region, comprising of Cambodia, PR China (Provinces of Guangxi and Yunnan), Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam as a single tourism destination to stimulate responsible and sustainable development and investment, and drive inclusive growth. Supporting the mandate of the regional collaborative tourism framework of the six-member governments of the Greater Mekong Sub-region, Destination Mekong is the regional destination marketing organization, and is owned and funded by the private sector of the travel and tourism industry in the six countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion. Destination Mekong initiates, develops, and operates various programs and initiatives, aligned to the strategic plan of the regional Mekong Tourism collaboration, published by the six member tourism ministries via its secretariat, the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office. Destination Mekong is governed by a Board of Directors, overseen by a Chair, and managed by a staff funded by Destination Mekong membership fees and program revenue streams. Initiatives include the award-winning Mekong Moments and Mekong Mini Movie Festival campaigns, the Mekong Innovations In Sustainable Tourism (MIST) program, the Experience Mekong Collection & Showcases, Mekong Heroes, and Mekong Trends. Destination Mekong also hosts its (Virtual) Destination Mekong Summit, in partnership with MTCO. Destination Mekong manages the Mekong Tourism Advisory Group (MeTAG), and organizes various virtual events in collaboration with MTCO.

 

Please visit www.DestinationMekong.com for more information.



Media Contact

For further press information, images, or to arrange interviews with Professor Lipman, contact Olly Wheatcroft, Program Manager SUNx Malta at: olly@thesunprogram.com.

 

For further press information, images, or to arrange interviews with Jens Thraenhart, contact Nattakorn Asunee Na Ayudhaya, Operations Manager Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office at: ton@mekongtourism.org.

TAT & Locanation launch ‘ASQ Paradise’ hotel bookings platform

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and Thailand-based Locanation Company Limited today jointly launch the newly-developed asq.locanation.com website under the ‘ASQ Paradise’ project to provide arriving foreign visitors with world-class information regarding standards for quarantine and control at Alternative State Quarantine (ASQ) hotels located around Thailand.

TAT Deputy Governor for Tourism Products and Business, Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, said, “TAT’s collaboration for the ‘ASQ Paradise’ project emphasises the strength of Thailand’s tourism infrastructure even as the country is in the grip of the global pandemic crisis. TAT sees an opportunity during this crisis to show other aspects of our tourism potential to the world. Not only do we retain our outstanding hospitality and travel services, but also the highest possible standards for pandemic control and quarantine.”

The asq.locanation.com website, available in English and Chinese languages, provides a 360-degree pre-entry quarantine service platform that offers services ranging from room reservations to information related to individual travel to Thailand and other services.

Currently, the website features 107 participating ASQ hotels in Thailand, offering quarantine packages ranging from 27,000 Baht to 220,000 Baht for the two-week period at hotels in the three to five-star range. All hotels join the platform are required to pass rigid standards set by the Ministry of Public Health.

Mr. Pepe Arunanondchai, Founder of Locanation Company Limited, said, “Both domestic and international tourists can use the asq.locanation.com website to fully meet their needs. This will pave the way for the launch of the Locanation’s official online travel agent business.”

Locanation is one of the companies that received a TAT Travel Tech Startup Season 2 Award under the Innovative Tourism Promotion category. It was recognised for using innovation to create platforms that addressed quarantine ‘Pain Points’ in terms of access to information for tourists who want to visit Thailand.

Locanation is also working with The Central Group of Companies, The Mall Group, King Power International Group and Total Access Communication Public Company Limited (DTAC) to provide online shopping services to asq.locanation.com website’s users. In addition, through collaboration with Dhipaya Insurance Public Company Limited, the company is looking to add a wide variety of insurance and health insurance packages to suit the needs of individual travellers.

The asq.locanation.com website will be promoted by TAT via its 29 overseas offices, as well as through a partnership with the ASQ Club Thailand. The Club has been initiated to provide information on alternative state quarantine facilities.

Mr. Prin Pathanatham, ASQ Club Thailand’s President, said, “Previously, tourist information about quarantine facilities in Thailand was very scattered. With the launch of the asq.locanation.com website, the ASQ Club Thailand believes that it will definitely prove to be an asset for overseas tourists, local entrepreneurs, or foreigners working in Thailand who want to research everything themselves and book directly with participating ASQ hotels.”

TAT is also creating activities to support the ASQ Paradise Project by offering special online shopping opportunities for quarantined tourists. The tourists will also receive an exclusive ‘Happy DIY Set’ with premium products from five Thai tourism communities around the country with delivery co-ordinated by the ASQ Club Thailand.

TAT will also launch an official LINE account in Chinese and English languages to provide information and reply to questions to quarantined tourists.

For more information on the ASQ Paradise Project and ASQ hotels located around Thailand, visit https://asq.locanation.com/.

Source: https://www.tatnews.org/2020/12/tat-locanation-launch-asq-paradise-hotel-bookings-platform/