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New progammes support tourism startups in Mekong region

The Mekong Innovative Startup Tourism (MIST) on March 9 announced two incubation programmes to support innovative firms in tourism in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.
New progammes support tourism startups in Mekong region ảnh 1A section of Mekong River passing Laos (Photo: housandwonders)
HCM City (VNA) – The Mekong Innovative StartupTourism (MIST) on March 9 announced two incubation programmes to supportinnovative firms in tourism in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.

The tourism startup incubator programme will accept businessideas in tourism technology forms as well as traditional models of startupbusinesses in the first stage.

Representatives of selected startup projects will attend acamp where they develop their business ideas. Best projects of each countrywill receive MIST awards worth from 7,000 USD to 10,000 USD.

Meanwhile, the market access incubator programme is a chancefor larger-scaled travel firms which are in need of support to access theregional market. Selected project owners will join a fact-finding tour toMekong River countries to study the market, while being introduced to serviceproviding networks of relevant agencies.

Last year, Vietnam welcomed more than 10 million foreign visitors.However, Huynh Kim Tuoc, Executive Director of the Saigon Innovation Hub,pointed out that Vietnam’s tourism products remain poor, which should be reformedand diversified to attract more tourists.

He also underlined the significance of regional connectivityin boosting tourism growth, while suggesting the promotion of advantages ofVietnamese tourism as well as the preservation of the sector’s uniquecharacteristics.

According to the organising board, the two programmes will receiveapplications until March 27, 2017. The project owners will have a chance topresent their ideas in front of investors and incubators as well as tourismleaders at the Mekong Tourism Forum in June 2017 in Laos and the APEC EconomicLeaders’ Meeting in November in Vietnam.

The MIST is a joint initiative of the Mekong TourismCoordinating Office and the Mekong Business Initiative.-VNA
VNA
#Mekong Innovative Startup Tourism (MIST) #incubation programmes
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