Laos aims for quality tourism by 2020

The Lao National Tourism Administration (LNTA) yesterday launched its national tourism Human Resource Development (HRD) strategy in a bid to strengthen the tourism industry in Laos .

The strategy, titled “Achieving Service Quality Through People”, was launched in Vientiane at an event attended by tourism officials and overseas guests involved in the project.

Minister and LNTA Chairman Somphong Mongkhonvilay said at the opening of the launch he was convinced that by strengthening institutional cooperative frameworks and the technical capacity of Lao people, service quality in the tourism industry could be improved.

“This will have the end result of expanding opportunities for employment and profit making in this dynamic sector and establishing mechanisms for sustaining our fragile ecosystems, heritage and culture,” he said.

Charge d'Affaires of the Embassy of Luxembourg to Laos , Mr Marc Franck, said the launch of the human resource development strategy was the culmination of a year of extensive work in research, analysis, stakeholder consultation and the crafting and design of an appropriate vision and strategic recommendations.

“Today marks not the end of a journey, but rather the beginning. Now more than ever before in Laos ' brief tourism history, it is essential that all sector stakeholders band together to achieve a common vision for the future,” Mr Franck said.

That vision will make Lao tourism internationally competitive through improved service quality, he added.

Recognising the importance of tourism as one of the country's major engines of economic growth and poverty alleviation, the government of the Grand D uchy of Luxembourg has committed itself to helping Laos strengthen human resources in the hospitality and tourism industry through the establishment of the Luxembourg Development project LAO/020.

In addition to commissioning the national HRD strategy, the project has recruited and mobilised 17 young teachers to Luxembourg and Singapore to undertake two years of professional studies in hospitality and tourism.

In 2010, the project will start construction of a National Tourism and Hospitality Training Centre as well as the development of national tourism related curricula and supporting teaching materials.

The two part publication detailing the strategy summarises the extensive fieldwork and research undertaken and sets out to map a vision for the hospitality and tourism industry during the period 2010 to 2020.

It is estimated that by 2020, Lao tourism will directly employ 40,000 people. This will require skills improvement of the existing 17,000 strong workforce and the development of another 23,000 new entrants into the tourism labour force.

Project LAO/020's Chief Technical Advisor, Mr Peter Semone, said “The story of successful tourism destinations and enterprises is one that is largely about people - how they are recruited, how they are managed, trained, educated, valued and rewarded, and how they are supported through a process of continuous learning and career development.”

In addition to the launch, a number of provincial events will be organised in the coming months to ensure broad dissemination of strategy both nationally and throughout the Greater Mekong Sub-region.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update November 3 , 2009)

Luang Prabang takes steps to attract more Chinese tourists

Luang Prabang province is seeking to streamline immigration procedures with Xieng Houng city in Yunnan province, China , to boost tourism between the two cities.

The Luang Prabang Provincial Tourism Department has submitted a proposal to the Lao National Tourism Administration and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to consider the possibility of allowing all Chinese nationals travelling from Xieng Houng to Luang Prabang to pass through immigration checkpoints using only a border pass.

The move aims to simplify the current complicated visa procedure and bring more Chinese visitors to the province, according to the department's Director, Mr Khamphouy Phommavong.

“I believe if all Chinese tourists are allowed to enter our province using only a border pass, similar to Vientiane residents visiting Nong Khai and Udon Thani provinces in Thailand, it would significantly boost tourist arrivals from China,” Mr Khamphouy told Vientiane Times.

He said currently Chinese nationals wishing to travel from Xieng Houng to Luang Prabang are required to obtain a visa in Kunming , the capital of Yunnan province, which can take some time.

There is a system already in place to allow travellers from Xieng Houng to visit Luang Prabang using a special document instead of a visa, but the cost of obtaining the document is exorbitant and not an option for most people .

Mr Khamphouy said Chinese officials had proposed the scheme.

“We held talks with Xieng Houng tourism officials and they proposed that we introduce a policy of using only border passes instead of visas and passports,” Mr Khamphouy said.

Xieng Houng also shares borders with northern provinces of Thailand and a streamlined procedure allowing nationals of those nations to cross the border using only a pass book has already been introduced, he said.

“We have already sent an example of this kind of pass book to the Foreign Ministry and the Lao National Tourism Administration for consideration.”

Mr Khamphouy believes that the current complicated procedure means many Chinese tourists travel to other neighbouring countries instead of Luang Prabang and Laos .

Luang Prabang is a popular tourist destination with tourist arrivals continuing to swell despite the economic recession.

Tourist arrivals to the province increased from 344,029 visitors last fiscal year to 372,833 this fiscal year. Of that figure domestic visitors increased from 112,454 to 127,750, while foreign arrivals jumped from 231,575 to 245,083 people, according to figures collected by the department.

By Souksakhone Vaenkeo
(Latest Update September 30 , 2009)

http://www.vientianetimes.org.la/FreeContent/free_Luang.htm

Laos to build new Luang Prabang airport

(KPL) Laos will start construction of its new Luang Prabang airport next year and put it into operation in 2013, said Khampheng Saysompheng, Vice-Governor of Luang Prabang province.
The cost of building of the new airport is estimated at 86.4 million USD, provided by a special credit from the Chinese government under an agreement reached during a recent visit to China by Lao President Choummaly Sayasone.
The new airport will have a 3,000m of runway, parallel with the existing ones. It will be capable of accommodating large-sized aircraft like the Airbus 380. The new airport is expected to fuel tourism, the attraction of foreign investment, and socio-economic development in the province.
Thanks to direct flights to Luang Prabang from Hanoi, in Vietnam, Bangkok, Udon Thani, and Chiang Mai in Thailand, and Siem Reap in Cambodia, up to 70 percent of tourists fly to Luang Prabang, the jewel of tourism of Laos, which has been listed by the UNESCO as a world heritage site.

Vangvieng aims to be most beautiful district in Laos

Vangvieng plans to become the most beautiful district in the country after receiving a grant from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) according to authorities.

The grant of US$1.4 million will be used mainly for a wastewater treatment system. This is an urgent need because the town has a large number of restaurants, guesthouses and hotels. Environmental issues, especially those associated with wastewater and garbage, are a high priority.

Vice district governor, Mr Phonekeo Khounphon said developing Vangvieng as a top tourist attraction is part of the government's 11-point plan, which aims to attract more visitors and create a sustainable environment in the district.

“We have already undertaken an environmental impact survey, particularly on the Xong River and we will start work this year. We expect it will take us five years to complete,” he said.

Mr Phonekeo said many developments in Vangvieng did not have access to a modern wastewater treatment system so they pumped their waste directly into the Xong River . This practice affects the quality of water and the ecology of the river in the long term.

“A proper wastewater treatment system is essential for the ecology of the river. While I believe that the river is still in good health we have to tackle the problem now before it deteriorates,” he said

Staff from the Department of Environment have worked hard to raise the awareness of people about the importance of a sustainable environment. He also urged people to work together to bring economic benefit to the community as well as the country.

Apart from the wastewater treatment system, the department is also facing the problem of solid waste that also ends up going into river. Mr Phonekeo said this garbage was not only unsightly but also had an impact on water quality. “We will actively encourage people to become involved in environmental protection,” he said.

Mr Phonekeo said development in the district should go together with conservation because the main attraction for visitors is the abundance of natural features and clean environment.

“For these reasons, we will plan and manage development carefully to avoid damaging the environment. To develop the district sustainably, we have to create appropriate regulations and rules to manage resources.”

Vangvieng is one of the most well-known tourist attractions in Laos and tourism generates significant income for local people as well as the country. At the moment, the environment of the district is still considered good, if people are involved in developing and protecting the environment it will attract more visitors to the district, he said.



By Phonesavanh and Sysouphan
(Latest Update July 31, 2009)

Tham Lom cave can become top tourist site of Vang Vieng

(KPL) Tham Lom cave, located along the Nam Song river, in Vang Vieng district, Vientiane province, is a popular destination for domestic and foreign tourists.
This is a well-known cave, mainly because of advertisements in the country and overseas.
Mr. Vansay Khamthip, owner of Tham Lom restaurant, said that this cave is a favourite site of many local and foreign tourists to Vang Vieng as they can go kayaking and tubing on the river and at the same time goes into the cave to explore on their own.
He also said that as he could see for himself an increase in the number of visitors to this cave, about 100 to 200 visitors per day, and this is giving him the incentive to further develop this site to make it more attractive for them.
Mr. Vansay had been mulling in his mind, he said the possibility of building a restaurant, huts and guesthouse for visitors
He is so upbeat on Tham Lom so that he said it is the beauty of nature of this site that really impress the visitor and he would come again giving this place a pool of repeat tourists

Round the clock night bazaar

(KPL) The Hong Thong Development Project (or Night Bazaar)would be operational on a round the clock basis to serve the tourists, commencing from the later part of the year and the purpose of this kind of operational hours is to attract more tourists to Vientiane capital.
This project, presently under construction, is located in Chanthaboury district, in front of Lao National Stadium.
President of Hong Thong Development Project, Mr Khamphay Somsana said that when the project was first proposed it was meant to serve the tourists and to offer them round the clock service.
Construction started in May 2008 and now 30 per cent of the building had been completed., the president of the project said.
“The project is part of Vientiane’s plan to generate more income to the city, especially to the business operators,” he said.
He added that the project would be opened as early as the opening day of the 25th Sea Games.
Funding for this project was made by four local investors, whose combined total investment was 25 billion kip and the authorities granted them a lease of 40 years, Mr Khamphay commented.
“We decided to construct the Night Bazaar because we found that the majority of tourists who visited Vientiane would not spend much time in it and as a result some of the Lao money goes to foreign countries,” said the president of Hong Thong Development Project.
The Night Bazaar would have 10,700 square metres of land, seven two-storey buildings, one restaurant, a public park and parking lot area, he said.
The restaurant would offer a whole range of Lao food and the prices would be affordable, he added. .
The handicraft products, he said would be on sale in the Night Bazaar in order to introduce to the foreign tourists the traditional culture of Laos and the products can be gifts to them, he said.