Travel firms urged to reshape tourism value chain across region

Travel firms across South and Southeast Asia are being positioned as critical players in reshaping how the tourism industry operates, with responsibilities extending far beyond traditional tour operations.

Industry experts argue that travel companies should serve as anchors in the tourism value chain, taking on expanded roles that include understanding market demand, designing innovative products, coordinating service providers, and managing tourist distribution across destinations. This broader approach would help address bottlenecks and inefficiencies that currently constrain regional tourism growth.

The push comes as Vietnam and other countries in the region elevate tourism's strategic importance. Vietnam has recently climbed seven places to rank 52nd in the World Economic Forum's tourism competitiveness index, part of broader efforts to boost the sector's contribution to gross domestic product.

Beyond operational management, travel companies are increasingly expected to contribute to destination branding and image-building, while also managing risks associated with overtourism and environmental pressures. Industry stakeholders say this integrated approach is essential for sustaining long-term growth in a competitive global tourism marketplace.

Vietnam has set an ambitious target for tourism to account for 12 percent of GDP by 2030, underscoring the sector's economic importance and the critical role intermediaries must play in achieving such goals.