Tourism stakeholders from across the Greater Mekong Subregion will gather in Yangon from June 16-18, 2026 for the Mekong Tourism Forum (MTF) 2026, centred on the theme Tourism for People, Travel with Purpose.
Organised by Myanmar’s Ministry of Hotels, Tourism and Culture together with the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office, the annual forum will examine how tourism can deliver greater benefits for local communities, support cultural preservation and strengthen regional cooperation while responding to changing traveller expectations.
The event will take place at the Pan Pacific Hotel Yangon and will feature keynote presentations, panel discussions, networking sessions, gastronomy showcases and technical visits across the city.
Ahead of the main programme, delegates will also be able to attend a pre-forum workshop focused on evidence-based destination marketing, tourism intelligence and cross-border collaboration.
The forum will bring together tourism professionals, destination specialists, educators, hospitality representatives, social enterprises and community tourism practitioners from Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.
Keynote speaker Masaru Takayama will open the forum with a presentation titled “Tourism for People: From Principles to Lasting Impact”, examining tourism through the themes of conservation, community, culture and commerce.
Additional sessions will cover community-based tourism, cultural preservation, inclusion, workforce development and regional tourism cooperation. Participating organisations include AirAsia Move, Planeterra, Asian Ecotourism Network, Clickable Impact, ASEAN Tourism Association and Local Alike.
Delegates will also experience Yangon through technical visits and cultural activities highlighting the city’s architecture, heritage, spirituality and artisan traditions. A regional gastronomy exhibition featuring culinary traditions from across the Greater Mekong Subregion will form part of the programme.
“Tourism is one of the few sectors where local communities can directly benefit from human connection, cultural exchange, and shared experiences. MTF 2026 is built around the belief that tourism should serve people and places first,” said Dee Suvimol Thanasarakij, executive director of the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office.
Registration for Mekong Tourism Forum 2026 is complimentary and now open via the organisation’s website.
