Program

Yangon, Myanmar

Mekong Tourism Forum 2026

“Tourism for People, Travel with Purpose”
16-18 June 2026 | Yangon, Myanmar

TENTATIVE PROGRAMME

Agenda

Time Date | Program | Attendees Venue
Tuesday, 16 June 2026 | Welcome Dinner
17:30-20:30 Welcome Dinner
Dress code: Business casual / national costume		 Lotte Hotel Yangon
Wednesday, 17 June 2026 | Mekong Tourism Forum (MTF) 2026
All Day GMS Gastronomy Tourism Exhibition Space (Day 3) Pan Pacific Yangon Hotel
08:00 – 08:30 Registration for Mekong Tourism Forum 2026 Dress code: Business attire Pan Pacific Yangon Hotel
08:30 – 17:00 Mekong Tourism Forum (MTF)
 Pan Pacific Yangon Hotel
08:30 – 09:00 Registration
09:00 – 09.05 Welcome and Introduction
By The Master of Ceremonies
09:05 – 09:15 Opening Remarks
By the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, Myanmar
09:25 – 09:30 MTCO’s Welcome Remarks
By Ms. Suvimol Thanasarakij, Executive Director, Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office
09:30 – 09:35 Group Photo
09:35- 10:15 Keynote Address: Tourism for People: From Ideals to Impact
By Willem Niemeijer, CEO & Co-Founder, Khiri Travel; CEO, YAANA Ventures.

Tourism as a force for good — but what does that actually look like in practice? Drawing on over 30 years of operating in Asia, including in complex and evolving destinations such as Myanmar, this keynote explores how tourism businesses can create real, measurable impact while remaining commercially viable. Using the 4Cs framework — Conservation, Community, Culture and Commerce — the session reflects on what it takes to place people at the centre of decision-making, not just in principle, but in daily operations, partnerships, and long-term strategy. Through practical insights and grounded experience, it highlights how tourism can support local livelihoods, protect cultural and natural heritage, and contribute to resilience, even in challenging environments.		 Pan Pacific Yangon Hotel
10:15 – 10:45 Networking Break
10:45 – 11:20 Insight Session: “Tourism Outlook & Travel Trends – What Purpose-Driven Travellers Are Seeking”
By Mr Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, Head, Country Representative (Thailand), AirAsia MOVE.

This session provides a forward-looking perspective on regional travel trends and evolving traveller behaviour, based on market insights and travel data. It explores how travellers’ preferences are shifting towards more meaningful, responsible, and experience-driven travel, and what this means for destinations and tourism stakeholders in the Mekong region. The session will offer practical insights into how purpose-driven travel trends can be understood and translated into opportunities that benefit both travellers and local destinations.		 Pan Pacific Yangon Hotel
11:20 – 11:55 Experience Sharing Session: “From Community to Travellers – Practical Lessons from the Ground”
By Wanvipa Phanumat, Chief Operating Officer, Local Alike.

Moving from insight to practice, this session shares real-world experience from the ground on what makes locally rooted tourism initiatives succeed. Rather than introducing concepts, the discussion focuses on practical lessons, success factors, and common challenges in connecting local people with travellers in a meaningful way. Through concrete examples, the session highlights how tourism can be designed and managed to create shared value for local hosts and visitors alike, keeping people at the centre of the tourism experience.		 Pan Pacific Yangon Hotel
12:00 – 13:30 Networking Lunch Pan Pacific Yangon Hotel
13:30 – 14:00 Regional Industry Perspective: “Connecting the Mekong: Aviation and Partnerships Enabling Purpose-Driven Tourism”
By Eddy Krismeidi Soemawilaga, President, ASEAN Tourism Association.

This session explores how regional connectivity, particularly through aviation and cross-border collaboration, plays a critical role in enabling more inclusive and sustainable tourism in the Mekong region. From improving accessibility to secondary destinations to supporting multi-country travel flows, the discussion highlights how public and private sector partnerships can unlock new opportunities for destinations, businesses, and communities. Drawing on ASEAN-level experience, the session offers insights into how connectivity can move beyond infrastructure to become a strategic enabler of tourism that benefits both people and places.		 Pan Pacific Yangon Hotel
14:00 – 15:10 Panel Discussion 1 : ”People at the Centre of Tourism”

The session explores how tourism can be designed and delivered in ways that genuinely place people at the centre. Through dialogue and practical examples, the session examines key dimensions such as inclusion, diversity, women and youth participation, child protection, and capacity building. Participants will reflect on how tourism initiatives can empower local people, strengthen skills and leadership, and create safe, dignified, and meaningful opportunities across the tourism value chain. The session encourages shared learning on how people-centred approaches can translate purpose into lasting impact on the ground.		 Pan Pacific Yangon Hotel
15:10 – 15:40 Networking Break
15:40- 16:50 Panel Discussion 2 : “Living Culture & Creative Expression”

The session examines culture as a living practice shaped by people, creativity, and meaning. Drawing on perspectives from artisans, heritage practitioners, archaeologists, and storytellers, the panel explores how culture is interpreted, represented, and experienced through tourism — from crafts and creative expression to heritage narratives and media storytelling. The session highlights how tourism can move beyond icons and monuments to support local voices, sustain cultural livelihoods, and foster deeper, more respectful connections between places and travellers.		 Pan Pacific Yangon Hotel
16:50 – 17:00 Closing Remarks
By the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, Myanmar
18:00 Transfer from the official hotels to dinner venue
18:30 – 20:30 Dinner Reception
Dress code: National Attire or Business Attire.

MTF Handover Ceremony
By the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, Myanmar and The Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Thailand		 The Eravati Sule Grand Yangon Hotel
20:30 Transfer back to the official hotels
Thursday, 18 June 2026 | Technical Tour
08:00-17:00 Technical Tour
Dress code: Casual and comfortable shoes (modest attire covering shoulders and knees for pagoda visits)

Delegates will explore Yangon’s cultural heritage, hospitality, and community tourism, including historic landmarks, conservation projects, and local enterprises. Highlights include:

  • Shwedagon Pagoda: Myanmar’s most iconic landmark and a masterpiece of cultural heritage. A must-visit for first-time visitors to Yangon.
  • Botataung Pagoda: A unique hollow pagoda where visitors can walk inside to view sacred relics. A riverfront site offering local insight and a lesser-known attraction.
  • The Secretariat: An iconic colonial-era landmark showcasing grand Victorian architecture. Recently restored, the complex blends Yangon’s history with a growing cultural scene.
  • The Strand Hotel: One of Yangon’s earliest and most exclusive heritage hotels. Beautifully preserved, showcasing original Victorian architecture and colonial charm.
  • Turquoise Mountain: Revives traditional crafts and restores heritage buildings in Yangon. Supports local artisans and connects skills to global tourism markets.
Evening Explore Yangon at your leisure
Friday, 19 June 2026 | Departure
All Day Departure

*Please note that the program is subject to change without prior notice.*