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Mekong Tourism to launch second annual Mekong Mini Movie Festival at Asian Tourism Forum 19 in Ha Long, Vietnam

In addition to announcing the grand prize winners of the first annual Mekong Mini Movie Festival, the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) will officially call for public participation in this year’s iteration of the award-winning and globally recognized competition.

BANGKOK, January 18, 2019 – Over 22,000 campaign followers, nearly 900,000 video views, and a reach eclipsing seven million people – these award-winning results of the 2018 Mekong Mini Movie Festival has prompted the MTCO to launch the festival yet again in 2019, laying the foundation for elite public exposure for the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS).

The contest, once again, calls for the public to post 60-second (or less) videos showcasing one or more GMS countries to their social media accounts. By requiring each video to be posted with the hashtags #Minis, #MekongMoments, and #[Country], the MTCO aims to bolster its searchable and hugely scalable social media community that’s purposed to shed light on the many marvels of the GMS.

“Today, a video is a powerful medium in inspiring travellers and promoting a destination," remarked Jens Thraenhart, Executive Director of the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office. "It has the chance to awaken the desire to travel within the viewer by showing the essence and draw of a place in just a few moments."

Over 500 minutes of unique destination video aired on social media platforms worldwide as a result of 2018’s festival and while that number rendered award-winning results, the MTCO has hopes to surpass that mark this year with its new partnership with the Pacific Asia Travel Association’s (PATA) Student Chapters. These chapters are established around the world, comprising students from PATA educational institution members and they are formed to fulfil the association’s objectives at a grassroots youth level.

“QUOTE from PATA about the specifics of partnership and WHY they have engaged,” said PATA CEO Dr. Mario Hardy.

The entire Mekong Mini Movie Festival campaign is also to be hosted on the MekongMoments.com collaborative social commerce campaign platform, which is executed by a public-private partnership involving GMS tourism ministries. The MTCO has also partnered with the UNWTO and the World Wildlife Federation (WWF) to carry out the second annual festival in 2019.

2018 Phase-Two Grand Prize Winners

Cambodia IG: ICHOSUNName: Khun WiratchaiNationality: ThailandVideo: http://bit.ly/2RLPPlu

Lao PDRIG: THEMISSCHUAName: Melanie ChuaNationality: PhilippinesVideo: http://bit.ly/2D4P4vX

ThailandYOUTUBE: KAPIL RICKYName: Kapil KumarNationality: IndiaVideo: http://bit.ly/2M2EEzC

MyanmarIG: WHEREIVEBEENWANDERINGName: SarahNationality: USAVideo: http://bit.ly/2FqRfvp

Viet NamYOUTUBE: CHRISTIANS VLOGName: Christian Bruckner (winner of Industry Choice, Thailand)Nationality: GermanyVideo: http://bit.ly/2skNrnu

RegionalIG: BANANA_CHRIZName: Christian MadlNationality: AustriaVideo: http://bit.ly/2RJVkkS

LuxuryIG: LIFEOFJIRAName: Jirapan PhahsonchumNationality: AustraliaVideo: http://bit.ly/2AFI2Mx

For more information about the Mekong Mini Movie Festival and its conditions, please visit www.mekongmoments.com/minis/info

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For further information please contact:

Justin MillersonFLAME.asia Communications & Content StudioPhone: 082-605-6946E-mail: justin@flame.asiaWeb: www.Flame.asia

About the Mekong Mini Movie Festival

The Mekong Minis is a unique film festival that celebrates the many faces and experiences of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) and promotes the region as a single tourist destination. It is an annual regional tourism marketing campaign with its first instance in 2018, supported by all Tourism Ministries and the private sector in the GMS. The festival is targeted to attract amateur and professional movie makers and create a large amount of content for the region with promotions and screenings internationally. The Mekong Mini Movie Festival campaign is powered by Mekong Moments at www.MekongMoments.com/Minis or www.MekongMinis.com.

About the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office

The Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO), located in Bangkok, was set up with funding from the governments of the six Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries – Cambodia, the People’s Republic of China, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam. The MTCO, which operates on annual financial contributions from each GMS country, acts as the secretariat for the GMS Tourism Working Group, comprising of senior officials of the six GMS countries’ National Tourism Organizations, to coordinate and facilitate sustainable tourism development

of the GMS in line with the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, and promotion of the Mekong region as a single travel and tourism destination, in collaboration with the public and private sectors. The MTCO manages its award-winning MekongTourism.org digital platform as a one-stop platform to promote responsible and sustainable tourism in the region, as well as the annual Mekong Tourism Forum, whose hosting is rotated among GMS countries.

Please visit www.MekongTourism.org for more information.

About Destination Mekong

Destination Mekong was created in 2017 to promote the Mekong region, comprising of Cambodia, PR China (Provinces of Guangxi and Yunnan), Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam as a single tourism destination to stimulate responsible and sustainable development and investment, and drive inclusive growth. Endorsed by the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office and aligned with the mandate of the regional collaborative tourism framework of the six-member governments of the Greater Mekong Subregion, Destination Mekong executes targeted projects and initiatives via public-private partnership investment structures, including Mekong Moments and Mekong Trends, led by UNWTO Affiliate Member Chameleon Strategies.

Please visit www.DestinationMekong.com for more information.