Start-up tourism firms will have a chance to get a cash grant and a six-month intensive training course worth 30, 000 USD in total when joining the “Mekong Innovative Startup Tourism” (MIST) programme in 2018. 

Sightseeing by boat in the Mekong Delta region

The information was announced at a conference to introduce the programme held by the Ho Chi Minh City Startup and Innovation Support Centre and the Mekong Business Initiative in HCM City on March 2.

MIST includes the two sub-programmes – “Startup Acceleration” and “Market Access”. 

The “Startup Acceleration” will receive registrations of businesses from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam between now and March 10. 

Prominent initial-stage startup projects will be supported by the programme if they show their innovative business models and breakthrough growth potential. 

Apart from the 30,000-USD grant, the winner will also be connected to potential investors and partners. 

For the “Market Access”, MIST calls for projects from small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) worldwide which intend to expand their markets to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. The deadline for applications is March 31. 

The best project will be financed 15,000 USD in support of market access activities. 

MIST is the cooperation programme between MBI and the Destination Mekong, which is funded by the Australia Government, the Asian Development Bank, and the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO).

It aims to promote development of potential tourism markets in the Mekong Sub-region, towards boosting sustainable tourism growth, and encouraging innovative ideas serving the industry’s development.-VNA