Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office holds workshop for empowerment of women in tourism

The Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) held a four-day digital expertise coaching workshop for women working in the tourism sector.

Titled Enhancing Digital Skills for Women in Tourism Communities in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam – The Training of Trainers, the occasion was held in the Laotian heritage metropolis of Luang Prabang from twenty fourth to twenty seventh September, and was carried out in cooperation with the ASEAN-Japan Centre (AJC), and the Lao PDR Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism.

28 members from each private and non-private sectors attended the occasion, and the in-person workshop addressed key points comparable to digital advertising and marketing evaluation and planning, selling group primarily based tourism enterprises on-line, and creating digital expertise coaching for community-based micro and small tourism companies comparable to homestays, visitor homes, eating places, handicraft shops and native tour providers.

Participants additionally performed subject visits to community-based tourism enterprises, assessing their digital wants as real-life case research. 

The workshop additionally held periods on efficient useful resource utilisation, planning, budgets, and setting objectives for digital advertising and marketing.

A necessity for stronger digital expertise

ASEAN-Japan Centre assistant director Naoko Fujikawa stated that digital expertise have been essential for advertising and marketing tourism merchandise to the world. However, not many women in the tourism sector had alternatives to develop their digital advertising and marketing expertise.

Fujikawa stated: “By empowering these women with the information to attach their native tourism merchandise to the worldwide market, we aren’t solely supporting their private progress but in addition nurturing the sustainable improvement of their communities.

Likewise,  Phonemaly Inthaphome, director-general of tourism improvement for Laos’ Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism stated: “Women have the potential to lead and innovate in tourism. By enhancing their digital skills, we are not just investing in individual capabilities, we are investing in the future of their communities.”

These sentiments have been echoed by MTCO government director Suvimol ‘Dee’ Thanasarakij who famous that women made up greater than half of the tourism workforce in the Greater Mekong Sub-region. However, many have been casual labourers with restricted entry to schooling and alternatives.

Thanasarakij stated: “Through this training, we aim to empower women in local tourism communities with the digital skills needed to strengthen their businesses and gain greater exposure to the global market.”

Fujikawa added: “We believe these participants will become catalysts for change, passing on their knowledge and driving innovation in tourism across their regions.”

After the occasion, Thanasarakij concluded: “We hope this training will create a ripple effect, with participants passing on their knowledge and skills to others, fostering resilience and growth across the region.”