Delegations from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Việt Nam attend the 7th Meeting of ACMECS Tourism Ministers held in HCM City on August 27. — VNA/VNS Photo Hữu Duyên

HCM CITY — Việt Nam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism hosted the 8th Meeting of CLMV (Cambodia, Lao DPR, Myanmar and Việt Nam) Tourism Ministers and the 7th Meeting of Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) Tourism Ministers in HCM City on August 27.

The 8th Meeting of CLMV Tourism Ministers, chaired by Vietnamese Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Lâm Thị Phương Thanh, gathered ministers and heads of tourism delegations from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Việt Nam.

The meeting acknowledged the outcomes of the 7th Meeting of CLMV Tourism Ministers held in Myanmar in November 2024, which adopted the Action Programme on CLMV Tourism Cooperation 2025-2026, and noted with appreciation the advancements made in implementing tourism cooperation among CLMV countries since then.

At the meeting, delegates reaffirmed “Four Countries, One Destination” as the guiding brand for CLMV tourism cooperation.

They expressed satisfaction with the continued recovery and growth of international visitor arrivals to CLMV countries, which reached 29.5 million in 2024 and 32.3 million in 2025, generating approximately US$45.8 billion in tourism receipts in 2025.

Intra-CLMV visitors totaled 3.3 million in 2025, accounting for about 9.6 per cent of total international tourist arrivals.

International visitor arrivals to CLMV countries from January to June 2026 reached 17.1 million, of which about 1.7 million were intra-CLMV visitors.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Lâm Thị Phương Thanh chairs the 8th Meeting of CLMV Tourism Ministers held in HCM City on August 27. —VNA/VNS Photo Hữu Duyên

The meeting tasked senior tourism officials and the lead country coordinators responsible for the Joint Action Plan on CLMV Tourism Cooperation 2026-2028 to realise the activities effectively and in a timely manner, develop tourism project proposals, and seek funding from development partners for implementation.

It welcomed Cambodia’s readiness to chair and host the 9th Meeting of CLMV Tourism Ministers in 2028.

The 7th Meeting of ACMECS Tourism Ministers, chaired by Maung Myint, Union Minister of Culture, Hotels, and Tourism of Myanmar, brought together ministers and heads of tourism delegations from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Việt Nam.

The meeting reviewed the progress in the implementation of the Plan of Action on ACMECS Tourism Cooperation (2025–26) and adopted the Joint Action Plan on ACMECS Tourism Cooperation (2026–28) as the guiding framework for regional tourism cooperation over the next three years.

The tourism sector in the ACMECS sub-region continued to demonstrate strong recovery by receiving 65.27 million visitors and generating approximately US$94.08 billion in tourism receipts in 2025.

During the first six months of 2026, the ACMECS Member Countries welcomed approximately 33.08 million international tourist arrivals, of which, approximately 4.25 million were intra-ACMECS visitors, accounting for 12.85 per cent of the total international tourist arrivals.

Delegates reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening regional tourism integration through sustainable, inclusive, resilient, and innovative tourism development, enhancing connectivity and seamless travel, promoting digital transformation and smart tourism, supporting eco-tourism, community-based tourism and cultural tourism, strengthening tourism safety and security, developing human resources, and intensifying joint tourism promotion under the “Five Countries, One Destination” initiative.

They emphasised the importance of ensuring that tourism in the ACMECS region remains a key pillar of regional economic cooperation, in line with the implementation of the ACMECS Master Plan.

Thailand will host the 8th Meeting of ACMECS Tourism Ministers in 2028. — VNS