Amadeus and MTCO Launch Mekong Trends Aviation Seminar

BANGKOK, THAILAND – Amadeus and the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) is jointly organising the first Mekong Trends Aviation Seminar, which is scheduled to take place in Bangkok on the 10^th of October.

The inaugural Mekong Trends Aviation Seminar will highlight the key insights of the recently published Mekong Trends Snapshot on Air Transport in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS). Both the report and the seminar intend to emphasise the importance of aviation in the development of the region's tourism.

Nanda Pillai, Regional Director, South and South East Asia, Airlines, Amadeus Asia Pacific, said: "Together with MTCO we look forward to hosting a stimulating discussion with the GMS travel industry on the further evolution of aviation in the region, and the existing challenges as well as opportunities for airlines. Air transport brings regions, economies and people closer together, and we're committed to working with our airline customers and industry partners like MTCO to ensure it can continue to grow and develop sustainably, for the greater good of all."

According to the report, over the last 20 years, air transport in the GMS helped to open up many destinations in the region such as Siem Reap in Cambodia, Luang Prabang in Lao PDR, Danang in Vietnam, Mandalay in Myanmar and Guilin in Guangxi, the People's Republic of China.

The trend accelerated with the emergence of budget airlines. New air routes today link destinations such as Sihanoukville in Cambodia, Khon Kaen in Thailand, and Pakse in Lao PDR, destinations which were barely noticed by travellers before.

Jens Thraenhart, MTCO Executive Director, said: "Therefore, it is fitting that our first Mekong Trends Snapshot covers GMS Aviation, providing a quick overview and some key insights on important developments and trends in the region's aviation industry."

Mekong Trends is a public-private partnership to deliver valuable industry intelligence on specific and relevant topics. Published for the industry on behalf of the MTCO and the National Tourism Organisations of the six member governments of the GMS, Mekong Trends is owned and operated by CEN International.

The first Mekong Trends Snapshot on Air Transport in the GMS was released in June this year during the Mekong Tourism Forum 2017, a platform for GMS travel industry collaboration supported by the Asian Development Bank. The report can be downloaded for free at www.MekongTrends.com.

Key insights of the report will be used to discuss the state of aviation and connectivity in the Mekong Region during the Mekong Trends Aviation Seminar hosted by Amadeus. The seminar will take place on 10 October, from 16:00-18:00, at the Amadeus Executive Briefing Centre in Bangkok, Thailand.

Entry is free, but registration is required. For more information, please click here.

Mekong Trends Snapshot on GMS Aviation - free download at www.MekongTrends.com

Amadeus

Amadeus is a leading provider of advanced technology solutions for the global travel industry. Customer groups include travel providers (e.g. airlines, hotels, rail and ferry operators, etc.), travel sellers (travel agencies and websites), and travel buyers (corporations and travel management companies). The Amadeus group employs around 15,000 people worldwide, across central sites in Madrid (corporate headquarters), Nice (development) and Erding (operations), as well as over 70 local Amadeus Commercial Organizations globally and has a presence in more than 190 countries. The group operates a transaction-based business model. Amadeus is listed on the Spanish Stock Exchange under the symbol "AMS.MC" and is a component of the IBEX 35 index. To find out more about Amadeus please visit www.amadeus.com, and www.amadeus.com/blog for more on the travel industry.

Jens Thraenhart
Executive Director - Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office