The guidebook presents a unique collection of expert interviews, combined with latest insights and thoughts on the most relevant topics and trends linked to sustainability in tourism, sustainable business management, and destination development. This is a book which offers inspiring personal stories and reflections, and at the same time serves as essential know-how guide for busy tourism entrepreneurs, managers, and developers who care about business resilience and the well-being of destination communities.
SLU connects and celebrates trailblazing individuals, organizations and destinations focused on sustainability in tourism – through storytelling and knowledge transfer. Benefit from success examples, industry insights and timely advice by our global panel of sustainable tourism experts.
Destination Changemakers
Interviews with destination developers and managers dedicated to tourism sustainability and sustainable development. Sustainable tourism insights and advice from leading destination management and development professionals. Let’s enjoy the interview with Jens Thraenhart, CEO, Barbados Tourism Marketing, Inc. (BTMI) , who was the CEO of the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) at the time of the interview.
Jens Thraenhart on Responsible Tourism Marketing and Sustainable Destination Development in the Mekong Region
How to develop tourism in a way that creates livelihoods, fosters economic growth and alleviates poverty? Jens Thraenhart, CEO of the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) , tells us in this episode of our series of interviews with the world’s leading sustainable tourism champions and changemakers.
Jens illustrates how he works with the tourism ministries of countries included in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) – Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and China. He shares how his team works towards developing a tourism model that supports small, responsible travel businesses, which challenges they’ve had to overcome and which global trends influence his work.
Jens, you founded the award-winning digital marketing firms Chameleon Strategies and Dragon Trail and created the much applauded Mekong Tourism initiative, among many other accolades. What motivated you to take up the Executive Director role to head the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO)?
I was actually the Special Advisor to the previous Executive Director of the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office since 2010, while I was Co-Founder/President of Dragon Trail and Chair of PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association) China, living in Beijing.
The countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam, and the provinces of Guangxi and Yunnan in PR China) have always fascinated me. It is such a beautiful and stunning region, rich in culture, heritage, and environmental assets – to be able to assist in promoting and developing tourism in these countries was a tremendous honour, to get the trust from the six governments. On the other hand, it was an exciting challenge to create a platform for stakeholder engagement and collaboration.
I also saw this role as a unique opportunity to build a new model when it comes to sustainable destination management.
Being a dual citizen of Germany and Canada, what excites you about Asia that you moved to the other side of the world, to currently live and work in Bangkok?
When I was around 16 years old, growing up in Germany, my father told me that the future will be in Asia and that Chinese will become the most important language. This was in the mid to late ’80s, during a time when China was still closed, and the world viewed China very differently than today. My father’s words always stuck in my head.
When I was invited to a conference in Singapore in the early 2000s, right afterward I booked myself a ticket to Shanghai, not knowing anybody or anything. After that, I had occasional trips to Asia, especially China, while working for Fairmont Hotels & Resorts (we developed a mini Chinese website back in 2004), and for the Canadian Tourism Commission.
Then in 2008 I moved to Beijing, originally as President of a small boutique hotel company, but stayed for over 5 years, co-founding and developing Dragon Trail and China Travel Trends.
As Chair of PATA China, we launched the China Sustainable Travel Forum & Awards in 2010. It was a fascinating time to be in China during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai; a time that truly was influenced by growth, change, and confidence.
In 2014, I decided it was time to leave Beijing for Bangkok, as I believed that Southeast Asia was to be the next frontier for economic growth. In 2014, the six-member countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) appointed me to head the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO). Now China is the number one tourist source market for all of the GMS countries.
As the Executive Director of MTCO, your objective is to promote the Mekong region as a single tourism destination and to foster responsible tourism development. What challenges do you face with respect to the coordination and implementation of strategies while dealing with the various tourism ministries?
(eTN):Barbados CEO features in Sustainability Leadership in Tourism | re-post license | post content