Leveraging Thematic Circuits for BIMSTEC Tourism Development

By Asian Development Bank

This report shows how countries in the BIMSTEC subregion can work together to rebuild their pandemic-battered travel industries and create intraregional thematic tour packages to boost visitor numbers and support sustainable development. It lays out comprehensive action plans involving each member country–Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand–and highlights the potential of cross-border tourism circuits based on themes such as wildlife, trekking, or religion. It explains the potential to grow intraregional tourism, use public–private partnerships, and harmonize infrastructure, connectivity, and marketing to develop seamless travel between member countries and fast-track their economic recovery.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Asian Development Bank
• Release date: Dec 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9789292699161

Book preview

LEVERAGING THEMATIC CIRCUITS FOR BIMSTEC TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

DECEMBER 2022

Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 IGO license (CC BY 3.0 IGO)

© 2022 Asian Development Bank

6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong City, 1550 Metro Manila, Philippines

Tel [phone]; Fax [phone]

www.adb.org

Some rights reserved. Published in 2022.

ISBN 978-92-9269-915-4 (print); 978-92-9269-916-1 (electronic); 978-92-9269-917-8 (ebook)

Publication Stock No. TCS220549-2

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22617/TCS220549-2

The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) or its Board of Governors or the governments they represent.

ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this publication and accepts no responsibility for any consequence of their use. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by ADB in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned.

By making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area, or by using the term country in this document, ADB does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area.

This work is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 IGO license (CC BY 3.0 IGO) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/. By using the content of this publication, you agree to be bound by the terms of this license. For attribution, translations, adaptations, and permissions, please read the provisions and terms of use at https://www.adb.org/terms-use#openaccess.

This CC license does not apply to non-ADB copyright materials in this publication. If the material is attributed to another source, please contact the copyright owner or publisher of that source for permission to reproduce it. ADB cannot be held liable for any claims that arise as a result of your use of the material.

Please contact [e-mail] if you have questions or comments with respect to content, or if you wish to obtain copyright permission for your intended use that does not fall within these terms, or for permission to use the ADB logo.

Corrigenda to ADB publications may be found at http://www.adb.org/publications/corrigenda.

Notes:

In this publication, $ refers to United States dollars, ₹ refers to Indian rupees, NRs refers to Nepalese rupees, and SLRs refers to Sri Lanka rupees..

ADB recognizes China as the People’s Republic of China, Korea as the Republic of Korea, Russia as the Russian Federation, and Turkey as Türkiye.

The main work for the preparation of this report was undertaken in 2020 and 2021, while travel and tourism was substantially down among most BIMSTEC countries due to the pandemic and some limited recovery was beginning. Periodic updates were made in 2021 and to the third quarter of 2022 based on inputs from the BIMSTEC member states. However, since updated data was not consistently available, some sections may not reflect the most current status of travel and tourism in the region and among certain BIMSTEC members.

The ADB study team for this report was led by Dongxiang Li with support of Lani Garnace and lead ADB sustainable tourism consultant Scott Wayne.

Cover design by Francis Manio.

Contents

Tables and Figures

Foreword

Tourism is an important driver for socioeconomic growth and development. Apart from generating millions of jobs and businesses, tourism contributes significantly to the preservation and promotion of natural and cultural heritage, the restoration and maintenance of a clean and green environment, and the development of vital infrastructure, including road, rail, river, sea, and air connectivity.

Development of the tourism sector can also help foster peace and harmony through enhanced community interaction and a greater understanding and respect for multiculturalism engendered by increased interaction.

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is made up of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka from South Asia; and Myanmar and Thailand from Southeast Asia. Steeped in history, culture, and tradition, the region is home to over 170 UNESCO World Heritage sites. It is renowned for its breathtaking landscapes, majestic mountains, beautiful beaches, lush forests, and rich biodiversity. The region is also home to the largest sea and land mammals: blue whales and elephants. The BIMSTEC region caters to a diverse range of interests and is a treasure trove for tourists, both from within and outside the region.

Recognizing the tremendous potential for cooperation in the tourism sector and the benefits that would accrue to the region, BIMSTEC Leaders had identified tourism as one of the first six areas for regional cooperation. They emphasized the importance of harnessing the region’s natural, cultural, and historical highlights, and promoting intra-BIMSTEC tourism, including specialized tourist circuits and eco-tourism. The Second BIMSTEC Tourism Ministers’ Roundtable held in Kathmandu, Nepal in 2006 adopted the Plan of Action for Tourism Development and Promotion for the BIMSTEC Region.

The BIMSTEC region experienced continuous growth in tourist numbers and the tourism industry for more than a decade until the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019. The travel restrictions and lockdown measures imposed globally to contain the spread of the virus had devastating consequences for the tourism industry in all the BIMSTEC member states. Although the pandemic has waned, the tourism industry in the entire region is still struggling to recover.

This is an opportune moment to recognize the importance of enhancing regional cooperation for the rebuilding and recovery of the tourism sector. Collaboration among member states should be encouraged and reinvigorated through sharing of information, know-how, best practices, capacity building, and public-private partnership (PPP). Innovative and creative thinking, including the introduction of new policies and exploring novel practices to revive the tourism sector in the region, must be explored.

As such, this report is a pertinent and timely initiative. It analyzes the main tourism drivers and trends, along with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, it outlines short-, medium- and long-term recommendations for action. For the robust and resilient recovery of the sector as well as sustainable, inclusive, and integrated development of regional tourism, the BIMSTEC member states should consider implementing the appropriate inputs and suggestions provided in the report.

As member states prepare an updated Plan of Action for Tourism Cooperation in the BIMSTEC region, I know this study report will provide valuable insights.

I would like to express my appreciation to all BIMSTEC member states for their cooperation and contributions to help finalize this report. I also thank the Asian Development Bank and its staff for their support in producing this important publication.

Tenzin Lekphell

Secretary General

BIMSTEC

Preface

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is pleased to support the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Secretariat in preparing this report on Leveraging Thematic Circuits for BIMSTEC Tourism Development. As a regional development bank mandated to promote regional cooperation and integration among its developing member countries, ADB values its partnership with BIMSTEC.

ADB has been cooperating with BIMSTEC since 2005. Through regional technical assistance, ADB supported the preparation of this report to facilitate intraregional cooperation in this important sector with multiple stakeholders from the public and private sectors. ADB has also supported the strengthening of the BIMSTEC Secretariat, which leads member states toward joint actions to promote tourism in the region. Among the joint actions, the members vowed to boost tourism in the region by nurturing closer cooperation in transport networks, creating intraregional thematic tour packages, simplifying cross-border immigration procedures, sharing best practices, and developing an updated action plan.

This report sets the stage for developing a comprehensive tourism strategy and action plan to address issues including the severe impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on intraregional and inbound tourism in the BIMSTEC region. The report emphasizes further developing thematic circuits as an important product offer for BIMSTEC member states to boost economic recovery from the pandemic. Thematic circuits can be effective ways to organize and manage sustainable tourism since they can bring together public and private sector stakeholders to improve destinations along circuit routes. The BIMSTEC Secretariat could be the central catalyst for realizing this vision, addressing the issues, achieving regional objectives, and maximizing the benefits of thematic circuit–driven tourism for all member states.

I would like to acknowledge the extensive efforts of the report team from the Regional Cooperation and Operations Coordination Division, South Asia Department. I would also like to thank the more than 200 tour operators and officials in BIMSTEC Secretariat and member states who contributed greatly to this report through surveys, interviews, and shared information. The process began just before COVID-19 started to impact the travel and tourism industry, which created an unprecedented set of challenges in researching and writing this report, all of which could not have been possible without the cooperation of these public and private sector stakeholders. Thanks also go to relevant ADB resident missions, the Southeast Asia Department, the Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department, and the Department of Communications for providing substantial comments to improve the report. All their contributions are gratefully acknowledged.

Kenichi Yokoyama

Director General

South Asia Department

Asian Development Bank

Abbreviations

Executive Summary

The countries of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) region are rich in assets and activities that attract visitors from around the world. BIMSTEC leaders agreed on joint actions to promote tourism in the region at ministerial meetings held in February 2005 and August 2006. At the 2005 meeting, they vowed to increase tourism among their countries by fostering closer cooperation in transport networks, creating intraregional thematic tour packages, simplifying cross-border immigration procedures, sharing best practices, and implementing an action plan to realize these objectives. This commitment was reaffirmed at the 2006 meeting, albeit with a revised plan.

This report sets the stage for developing a comprehensive tourism strategy in the BIMSTEC region that includes an updated action. It identifies and proposes ways to address issues and needs in the tourism sector, including the impacts of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, which has hit intraregional and inbound