Advancing Tourism Integration in the Lancang-Mekong Sub-Region “2023 Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Mechanism Advanced Seminar on Cross-Border Tourism Cooperation” Held in Chongqing

Window for International Exchanges of Chongqing

Culture & Tourism （WICT）

On August 28， the “2023 Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Mechanism Advanced Seminar on Cross-border Tourism Cooperation” was held in the Window for International Exchanges of Chongqing Culture & Tourism （WCIT）， with nearly 20 participants from culture， tourism， commerce and foreign affairs departments of Myanmar， Vietnam， Lao PDR and other countries.

In order to continuously deepen the exchanges and cooperation between Chongqing and Lancang-Mekong countries in the field of culture and tourism and promote the integrated development of tourism in Lancang-Mekong Sub-Region， the “2023 Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Mechanism Advanced Seminar on Cross-border Tourism Cooperation” （hereinafter referred to as the “Seminar”） officially started on August 20. The Seminar is co-hosted by the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism Development and the Chongqing Municipal Education Commission， with special support from the Foreign Affairs Office of the Chongqing Municipal Government. It is also co-organized by Southwest University and WCIT.

As the last stop of offline training， the Seminar aims to provide a platform for exchanges， sharing and negotiations among participants and tourism practitioners in Chongqing.

Ni Tar Myint， Acting Consul-General of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar in Chongqing， said that cooperation between Chongqing and Lancang-Mekong countries could be strengthened in tourism development， tourism services and people-to-people exchanges. They will continue to support tourism cooperation between Chongqing and Myanmar as well as Lancang-Mekong countries. At the Seminar， representatives of the Exit and Entry Administration of the Chongqing Municipal Bureau of Public Security gave lectures on exit and entry policies， representatives of trainees from Myanmar， Lao PDR， and Vietnam introduced their own tourism respectively， and those of WCIT made platform promotion on site. The relaxed and pleasant atmosphere， along with the live performances of Chongqing’s unique folk music and tea art experience， allowed representatives from different countries to immerse themselves in the distinctive charm of Chongqing’s culture and tourism.

The Seminar facilitated comprehensive and multi-dimensional exchanges among representatives from the tourism industry of different countries. It promoted mutual learning， enhanced understanding， and strengthened friendships， serving as an envoy for deepening tourism cooperation among the six countries of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation （LMC） mechanism. It also contributed to the recovery and development of the tourism industry in this region.

According to our sources， the trainees of this Seminar successfully completed their studies through a combination of theoretical learning and field visits. Universities， institutions， and scenic areas were invited by the Seminar to offer high-quality courses on various topics such as policy interpretation， tourism economy， rural revitalization， and cultural heritage preservation. The participants visited renowned attractions in Chongqing， including the Yuzhong Peninsula， the root of Chongqing; Jinfo Mountain， a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site; Dazu Rock Carvings， a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site; Jinyun Mountain， known as the “Oxygen Bar” in Chongqing’s central urban area; Huangjueping Graffiti Street， known for its vibrant artistic atmosphere; and Hechuan Diaoyu Fortress， with rich historical heritage. Through these visits， they had immersive experiences and gained a profound understanding of Chongqing’s culture and tourism.

This Seminar has provided professional and internationally oriented education and training for tourism talent. It has also served as a platform for exchanges among tourism industry stakeholders from the six Lancang-Mekong countries， receiving high recognition and strong support from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the PRC， tourism authorities of the Lancang-Mekong countries， and embassies and consulates of Mekong countries in China.