Hanoi (VNA) – The Destination Mekong and the MekongBusiness Initiative on February 7 announced their 2018 Mekong InnovativeStartups in Tourism (MIST) business support programmes are now open forapplications.

For the first time, the MIST Startup Accelerator is welcomingapplications for tourism, hospitality, and travel tech startups headquarteredin Thailand, besides Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. The Startup Acceleratorprovides support to early-stage companies with innovative and scalable businessmodels. The programme will close to applications on March 10, 2018.

The 15 to 20 startups selectedto the Accelerator will attend an all-expenses-paid intensive boot camp wherethey will compete for six months of advanced mentorship, in-kind accelerationsupport valued at 20,000 USD, prize money up to 10,000 USD, and customisedbusiness matching with potential investors and partners.

The MIST Market Access Program, now in its secondyear, is soliciting applications from successful, small-to-mid-sizedinternational tourism, hospitality, and travel tech companies that wantassistance expanding into Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam. The MarketAccess Program will close to applications on March 31, 2018. Past participantshave hailed from Australia, Canada, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Thailand,and the United States.

As many as five companies accepted into the MarketAccess Program will receive consulting to support their market access plans,and they will be introduced to key stakeholders in the region includinggovernment and industry leaders. The applicant with the highest-potential planfor the region will receive a complimentary market access tour valued at 15,000USD.

"The Greater Mekong Sub-region’s government,tourism, and hospitality leaders have embraced MIST as a force for innovation,sustainability, and growth in the region,” said Jens Thraenhart, executivedirector of the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office. “Through this programme, wehave created the ideal mechanism for tourism innovators and travel startups toget paired with investors and industry mentors who can equip them to scale andthrive.”

Destination Mekong and the Mekong BusinessInitiative – with the backing of the Government of Australia, the AsianDevelopment Bank, and the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office – launched MIST in2016 to propel innovation in the rapidly growing tourism markets of the GreaterMekong Sub-region. MIST aims to expedite tourism industry growth, create anecosystem that inspires innovation, and promote sustainability in tourism.-VNA