Summary
The “Training of Trainers: Enhancing Digital Skills for Women in Tourism Communities,” held in Luang Prabang, Lao PDR, from September 24-27, 2024, successfully empowered women from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam (CLMTV) in leveraging digital tools for tourism. To maximize the training’s impact, the ASEAN-Japan Centre (AJC) and Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) launched a follow-up campaign, providing partial implementation cost grants for participants to conduct localized training sessions. This report details the outcomes of these initiatives in Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam, highlighting the tangible benefits for women in their respective tourism communities.
Reference: https://www.asean.or.jp/en/event-report/20241015/
Campaign Objectives
The primary objective of the follow-up campaign was to ensure the sustainability of the Luang Prabang training by:
- Encouraging participants to transfer their acquired digital skills to other women within their communities.
- Facilitating the practical application of these skills through localized training initiatives.
- Expanding the reach of digital literacy and empowerment within the CLMTV tourism sector.
Implementation and Outcomes
Cambodia
Title: Digital Skills Capacity Building for Women in Koh Trong CBET
Date: February 7, 2025
Location: Koh Trong CBET Center
Participants: 24
Supervised by: Ministry of Tourism
Outcomes: Participants gained practical skills in strategically utilizing social media platforms (Facebook and Telegram) and Google Maps to promote their tourism businesses. This resulted in the creation of new Google Maps listings for previously unlisted businesses and updates to existing social media pages, significantly enhancing their online visibility and discoverability.
Myanmar
Title: Enhancing Digital Skills for Women in Tourism Communities in Myanmar
Date: February 24-25, 2025
Location: Bagan, Myanmar
Participants: 20
Supervised by: Ministry of Hotels and Tourism
Outcomes: The training combined theoretical instruction with practical workshops, focusing on digital marketing, social media for tourism, and the effective use of Google tools. Participants demonstrated improved understanding and application of these digital skills.
Thailand
Title: Digital Skills Improvement for Women in Thai Communities: Ban Bang Rong (Phuket Province) and Banana Land (Loei Province)
Ban Bang Rong Community:
Date: February 28, 2025
Location: Ban Bang Rong Community, Phuket Province
Participants: 10
Banana Land Community:
Dates: February 24-25, 2025
Location: Banana Land Community, Loei Province
Participants: 12
Supervised by: Department of Tourism
Outcomes: Participants reported increased confidence in using digital platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and websites to promote their products and community culture. The training effectively enhanced their technical skills and fostered stronger connections with potential customers, contributing to local tourism growth.
Viet Nam
Title: Training Program: “Enhancing Digital Skills for Tourism Communities in Thai Nguyen Province”
Date: February 24-25, 2025
Location: Thai Hai Reserve area of ecological house-on-stilt village, Thai Nguyen Province
Participants: 34
Supervised by: Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism
Outcomes: This program provided foundational knowledge about digital technologies to small-scale tourism operators and local communities, including understanding how to use online platforms and basic digital tools. Additionally, it involves assessing the status of each entity to develop specific, tailored solutions that align with their needs and capabilities.
Conclusion
The follow-up campaign successfully extended the benefits of the Luang Prabang training to more women in the CMTV region. The localized training sessions empowered participants with practical digital skills, enabling them to enhance their tourism businesses and contribute to the economic development of their communities.
