The national carriers of Myanmar and Thailand have been urged to join an "air flight pass" programme to help promote Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos as one travel destination in the Mekong region to strengthen the fledgling "Five Countries One Destination" objective, Thailand’s the Nation reported on 18 September.
"Air flight passes" are special fare programmes that allow a traveller to fly to multiple cities in a designated region at discounted rates, creating his or her own personalised itinerary.
Vietnam Airlines marketing executive Nguyen Quy Phuong said at the International Trade Expo seminar in Ho Chi Minh City last week that Vietnam had not yet succeeded in getting Myanmar and Thai carriers to join the programme, but Vietnam Airlines was pursuing talks to smooth out any hurdles to increase the number of people visiting the Mekong region under the "Five Countries One Destination" objective.
One of the most challenging tasks ahead for the five countries is to cooperate in allowing tourists to get just one visa for travelling through the five countries the report said.