Dr Ronnakorn Triraganon, RECOFTC and Ms Alison Bleaney, IUCN

Arnfinn Oines, Six Senses Group

A recent collaborative conference on biodiversity and ecotourism was a sell-out success, as delegates discussed how to better promote these tourism issues.

Bangkok was the host city for the Biodiversity Conservation Workshop, and sponsored by the Thailand Ministry of Tourism and Sports.  The workshops were supported by the Asian Development Bank and the French Government.

“The workshop achieved its first objective of gathering the different stakeholders together,” said Christine Jacquemin, Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) Development Project Coordinator.

“I think it is the first time private sector, environmental organizations and country officials in charge of tourism and environment were meeting together to discuss what is their common interest — how tourism if better managed can become a tool for biodiversity conservation and local development.”

With delegates from the Great Mekong Subregion (GMS), Asia, Europe and the United States, the two-day conference at the Siam City Hotel saw attendance by experts in the field such as representatives from non-government organisations, scientific researchers and academics.

“The strong attendance clearly demonstrates that this is in everyone's interest. It was a good opportunity for people to establish new contacts and share experiences,” said Ms Jacquemin.

Nearly 100 delegates attended the event.