ABSTRACT
Initiated by the Asian Development Bank, the “Greater Mekong Subregion” (GMS) is a designation that creates a functional identity for part or all of the six countries through which the Mekong River flows. Reflecting the Bank’s raison d’être, the mission of the Subregion-construction programme is to boost economic development and reduce poverty across the member states. However, will a common name based on a shared watercourse be sufficient to create a true sense of regional identity among the 300 million residents? Will the “Subregion” label suffice to prevent or resolve conflicts arising from national or sectoral interests? To what extent will Subregional-scale development projects succeed if individuals of specific member countries are not inclined to endorse Subregional visions and goals? Given that GMS tourism marketing activities have to date demonstrated intentions to create a “single destination”, this chapter attempts to address these issues by examining the relationship between identity, development, and tourism in the Subregion. Drawing on the success of Tourism New Zealand’s “100% Pure” campaign, the chapter aims to assert a thesis that deliberate tourism marketing campaigns embraced by both residents and tourists may hold the key to enhancing regional identity for the GMS nations and hence enabling sustainable development along the Mekong River.
