BANGKOK, 27 August 2020: Six tourism enterprises in the Mekong Region were named winners at the 3rd Experience Mekong Awards presented digitally at Tuesday’s Destination Mekong Summit.
Nominations came from a pool of 350 tourism SMEs that are part of the Experience Mekong Collection covering the six Mekong countries — Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.
Selection of this year’s winners started with 60 participants and whittled down to 18 finalists (three from each member state) and then to a single winner per country.
Cambodia
Elephant Valley Project (2020 winner)
Cambodia Living Art
Ayana Journeys
China
Yangshuo Mountain Retreat (2020 winner)
The Bivon
Shaxi Old Theatre Inn
Laos
Laos Buffalo Dairy ( 2020 winner)
Vat Phou Mekong Cruise
Wildlife Ecotourism
Myanmar
Living Irrawaddy Dolphin Project (2020 winner)*
Sanon Restaurant
Sanpan Travel
Thailand
The Family Tree (2020 winner)
Andaman Discovery
Anurak Lodge
Vietnam
TOME (2020 winner)
Mr Linh’s Homestay
La Hoa Flower Speak
*For the first time, online voting played a role in the selection process for the six-country winners. Of the 10,000 votes registered Living Irrawaddy Dolphin Project was recognised for acquiring the highest vote count.
According to the Mekong Tourism Coordinating office, the “awards recognise small tourism businesses in the six countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion for having an innovative concept and sustainable business model which makes a significant social impact on a community.”
MTCO also announced the winner of its inaugural Mekong Hero award presented to Potjana Suansri the tourism consultant of the Thailand Community-based Tourism Institute.
The first recipient of the Mekong Hero was recognised for her “inspiration and influence in guiding community-based tourism across Thailand.
Posting on her Facebook page, Potjana said: I am glad that my initiatives have been well received … recognised by MTCO as the 1st Mekong Hero Destination, this confirms our right direction and commitment.”
