To all JARTA members and stakeholders,
Thank you very much for your continuous support of JARTA's activities.
We are pleased to announce that Masaru Takayama, Managing Director of JARTA and founder of the Asian Ecotourism Network (AEN), has been selected to deliver the opening keynote speech at the "Mekong Tourism Forum 2026," an international forum hosted by the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO).
The forum will be held from June 16 to 18, 2026, at the "Pan Pacific Yangon" in Yangon, Myanmar. This year's theme is "Tourism for People, Travel with Purpose."
◆ ◆ Background: Why is the "Mekong Region (GMS)" drawing attention?GMS）」が注目されるのか？
The Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) is an organization that promotes tourism development and marketing for the six countries of the Mekong region (Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Yunnan Province, China).
This GMS (Greater Mekong Subregion) is known for having a particularly strong bond among ASEAN countries. Furthermore, a unique feature of the MTCO is its system of selecting its Executive Director through an open public recruitment process. Since individuals from the private sector with rich experience and expertise in tourism take the helm, the organization possesses the unique strength to integrate advanced themes and "a step further into sustainable tourism" into its agenda—something that is often difficult to plan in typical government-led organizations.
◆ From Laos to Myanmar: Rising Expectations and the Role of Managing Director Takayama
Since 2009, Managing Director Takayama has been addressing the challenge of how to prove true sustainability behind the tourism businesses that label themselves as "eco" across the Mekong region.
- In 2009(Held in Laos): The first international conference in Laos where international tourism stakeholders gathered focused on "Ecotourism," and Mr. Takayama participated as a speaker. He suggested the potential of ecotourism to contribute to the education and improvement of living standards of local residents while conserving natural capital, and made policy recommendations.
- 20252025 (Held in Laos): Hosted with "Ecotourism" as the main theme, Mr. Takayama participated as a moderator and speaker. Based on his field experience, he made recommendations on the importance of "standardization (criteria)" to protect the interests of local residents and the natural environment.
- 20262026 (This Year · Held in Myanmar): For Myanmar, the host country of this year's event, 2026 marks a very important year that can be called the "First Year of Sustainable Tourism." Amid concerns over whether the country can build a solid foundation for sustainable tourism destination management, Mr. Takayama's role in kicking off the forum carries a heavier significance than in previous years.
◆ Keynote Speech Theme
「人々のための観光：原則から持続的なインパクトへ」 （Tourism for People: From Principles to Sustainable Impact）
In the opening session, Mr. Takayama will share deep insights into the future of tourism through a framework of four pillars: environmental conservation, community, culture, and commerce. Bringing international certification practices and the "Dot, Line, and Plane" approach to tourism destination management—which are also practiced at JARTA—and giving back to the international stage in accordance with the unique regional characteristics of the Mekong River basin will significantly accelerate the development of sustainable tourism across Asia.
◆ Related Links & Details
For the specific program and details of the forum, please visit the official websites below
- Mekong Tourism Forum2026 Official Program
- MTCO-hosted Interview with Mr. Takayama (Published last year): "When Sustainability Needs Proof: Why Ecotourism Standards Matter" https://mekongtourism.org/when-sustainability-needs-proof-aens-masaru-takayama-on-why-ecotourism-st…
We look forward to your continued warm support for JARTA as we work toward a sustainable future not only for regional management within Japan but also for Asia as a whole. We will report on the discussions and outcomes from the venue in upcoming newsletters.
General Incorporated Association JARTA Secretariat
