![[PR] PR_Ascott and Vimut Hospital_2024](https://www.traveldailynews.asia/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PR-PR_Ascott-and-Vimut-Hospital_2024-400x265.jpg)
“There is still plenty of authentic destinations to discover in the Greater Mekong Region”Willem Niemeijer, CEO of Khiri Travel tells all about emerging and confirmed destinations in the Greater Mekong Sub-region. Khiri Travels is one of Southeast Asia’s leading incoming tour operator and is present in the region for over 20 years.
TravelDailyNews: Is it easy today to surprise people in Southeast Asia today due to the fact that it is now an extremely known and explored destination?
Willem Niemeijer: It is true that surprising people is less easy than before as more and more destinations embraced over the last 15 years tourism. This is for example the case in Thailand where tourism has been generally booming, despite some slowdown due to external factors but also in Cambodia. Some 15 years ago, Cambodia was all about sight discovery and of course people. Today, the challenge is more to find new places where people can still enjoy an authentic experience. But despite this tourism boom, I must say that we can still offer our clients a truly genuine tourism experience.
TDN: Do you think that authenticity is turning today into an essential value for the traveller?
W.N.: For us, guests are always looking at authenticity, even in the most tourist-crowded areas. And we are always searching for new areas which will create excitement for our visitors. In a city such as Bangkok- which is visited by millions of people every year-you can leave with tourists early in the morning to go along the khlong on the Thonburi side and discover a genuine way of living from locals. Or doing a bicycle trip in some outer districts. In Siem Reap, also another extremely popular destination, we organize half a day tour for people to visit communities or NGOs to make eventually donations. We also implement a similar tour in Luang Prabang, where we take our customers visiting communities across the Mekong River in little known areas.
TDN: Is it not a danger of over-commercialization of destinations, once they become better known by world tourism?
W.N.: This is a risk all across the planet and it might be particularly true also in Asia. This is a real challenge and we have to find the right balance between a “rough” experience where guests will experience little comfort –but certainly authenticity- and a well-established destination where of course tourists will not feel like pioneers! For example, I find destinations in Thailand such as Nan or Mae Hong Sot continue to offer the perfect balance for travellers.
TDN: Which country in the Mekong Sub-region is the most difficult to work with?
W.N.: This would be probably Vietnam. It is a country offering incredible potential with dozens of marvelous destinations to discover. Unfortunately, authorities are concentrating their promotion into three main destinations such as Hanoi/Halong Bay, Hoi An/Danang and Ho Chi Minh City. We deeply miss more direct international flights to other destinations such as Dalat or Nha Trang, as it would help to develop alternative circuits for our travellers.
TDN: How is the situation in Myanmar and what are your recommendations for travellers keen to visit this emerging destination?
W.N.: The lack of hotel capacity was certainly a major issue with hotels being almost sold out in November and February. The situation was critical in December and January but it was still possible to find rooms. However, I feel more concerned about the lack of readiness of the country. Imagine that hotels which used to have only 20% occupancy suddenly had to face 80% occupancy and even more all of a sudden. Most of the hotels could not cope with in terms of staff, service or facilities. The lack of skills and experience is for me the main issue and the government as well as the private sector will really have to find ways to train people.
TDN: Your GMS favourite destinations ?
W.N.: I believe Laos is the perfect destination to visit now. Thanks to the opening of more and more terrestrial cross-border points, the country is extremely easy to visit, including many unknown areas, especially up to the border to Vietnam. And I still believe that Isaan provinces in Northeastern Thailand remain some of the most fascinating and less-known areas to visit.
Luc Citrinot a French national is a freelance journalist and consultant in tourism and air transport with over 20 years experience. Based in Paris and Bangkok, he works for various travel and air transport trade publications in Europe and Asia.
