Traveller numbers fall over New Year period

Transport operators will offer fewer services than usual over the New Year period due to a fall in demand as people choose to celebrate at home in the wake of the economic slowdown.

Public bus and airline operators announced yesterday they were experiencing a major drop in the number of travellers at this time year and would not operate extra buses and aircrafts as they have done in previous years.

Lao Airlines Marketing Manager, Mr Rada Sounthone, said additional flights to Luang Prabang province would not be offered this year, even though all flights were booked out.

“There are no more seats available for flights to Luang Prabang until January 2, however we will not offer more flights because there is not enough demand to justify them,” he told Vientiane Times.

He said the airline has been adversely affected by the global economic slowdown and recent political turmoil in Thailand .

The Vientiane Northern Bus Station will not offer more services to Luang Prabang as demand for the tickets as fallen by more than 30 percent compared to last year.

Vientiane Southern Bus Station Director, Ms Ladavan Sisouk, said more buses would only be put on standby if demand was high enough.

“If buses are overloaded, then we will call in more buses,” she said.

She said the bus station had been unusually quiet over the festive season this year.

“Last year, there were large crowds waiting for buses to travel home, however this year is not the same,” she said.

More than 50 buses depart from the station to the southern provinces of Laos every day. During the New Year period last year this was increased by more than 20 percent to cater for demand.

Ms Ladavan believes the current economic situation means people are opting to stay at home over the holiday period.

Another reason for falling bus passenger numbers is cheaper fuel prices.

“People who own cars will now decide to drive to holiday destinations because fuel prices have fallen,” she said.

Ms Ladavan said she would like authorities to promote domestic travel to boost the transport and tourism sectors.


By Ekaphone Phouthonesy
(Latest Update December 31, 2008)
http://www.vientianetimes.org.la/Previous_309/FreeContent/Free_Traveller.htm

Luang Prabang benefits from Thai turmoil

Luang Prabang's tourism industry has benefited from recent political turmoil in Thailand as increasing numbers of tourists choose to visit the province, according to a business representative.

Luang Prabang's Hotel, Guesthouse and Restaurant Association President, Mr Khoun Chanthaboupha, yesterday said political unrest in Thailand caused many tourists to reschedule or cancel their holidays to Bangkok and travel to the World Heritage listed city instead.

“We were unable to provide sufficient accommodation for visitors over the New Year period, with some tourists having to sleep at the bus station,” he said.

Mr Khoun said almost 3,000 beds in Luang Prabang town were currently fully booked and more than 50 percent of hotel and guesthouse rooms were booked between now and the end of the tourist season in July.

“We expect more tourists will visit the city over the peak tourist season,” he said.

He said the town was a popular tourist destination because it was beautiful, peaceful and safe, and its residents were kind and welcoming.

Mr Khoun said the increasing tourist numbers had eased fears the global economic slowdown and political situation in Thailand would hurt tourism in the city.

“We have felt no real impact from the global financial crisis so far,” he said.

About 60 percent of tourists were forced to cancel their trips to Luang Prabang during the recent week-long closure of Thailand 's main airport, which is a vital hub for regional transit, according to a report from the association.

Mr Khoun said Luang Prabang was still a very popular destination for international tourists, so there was no need for the association to reduce the price of hotel and guesthouse rooms to try and encourage domestic tourism.

According to a report from Thai media, hotels and guesthouses in Chiang Mai (northern Thailand ) have lowered their rates in an effort to boost domestic tourist numbers.

In Luang Prabang, the price of guesthouse rooms ranges from 50,000 kip to 500,000 kip per room per night, while hotel rooms cost between 50,000 kip and 5 million kip, Mr Khoun said.

Luang Prabang Tourism Department Deputy Director, Mr Khamtan Somphanvilay, said the city would remain popular due to its unique architecture and nearby natural attractions.

Mr Khamtan said a stable tourism sector would encourage investment in the industry in times of economic difficulty, with eight different businesses currently expressing an interest in investing in tourism facilities in the province.

By Ekaphone Phouthonesy
(Latest Update January 06, 2008)
http://www.vientianetimes.org.la/FreeContent/Free_Luang.htm

Miss Aphone Contest 2008 to hold at the end of this year

(KPL) Miss Aphone Lao contest 2008 will be held on 20 December, at the National Cultural Hall, Vientiane Capital, according to yesterday's press conference held at the Lao Journalists Association.

 
Ms Panita Vanhkham, Manager of K&C company, organising committee said that 18 women will attend at the Miss Aphone contest 2008 that they will participate in various activities in the society. 

The competitors are now on rehearsal activities for the upcoming contest which the activity kicked off 3 December. The 18 beautiful women will learn about the Lao Traditional, food cooking and other traditional culture of Laos. The Miss Aphone contest is aiming at promoting fine traditional culture of Laos.

Wattay to make way for new airport

(KPL) The Civil Aviation Department (CAD) said yesterday that the government is scouting for a suitable site to build an airport that would give a good image of Laos to air travellers. 
CAD said that there is an urgent need to replace the present Wattay International Airport because it is close to the centre of Vientiane, it is located in a highly urban area of the capital city and the flights of the planes to and from the airport is a source of noise pollution.
Mr Vanpheng Chanthaphone, Vice-Head of the Civil Aviation Deportment said that recently there is an increase in the number of flights to and from Wattay but as its size and available facilities are limited, the government is seriously thinking of building a new one in a more suitable location.

We studied the options and we concluded that Wattay cannot cater adequately to the long term economic growth of the Vientiane Capital and morever its location in a densely populated area of the city means that many people night die in an unforseen air crash near this airport, he added. 
Recently, the Lao government gave the green light for the Booyong Company of the Republic of Korea to conduct a feasibility study to build a new airport. A ceremony was held on 5 December to commemorate the commencement of such a study and the two signatories were Mr Sommath Polsena, Minister of Public Works and Transport and Mr Lee Joong-Keun, Chairman of Booyong Company.The new location has been decided and it will be at Kilometre 21 of Road 13 South, in Xaythany district of Vientiane Capital and near the new International Stadium, the venue of the 25th SEA Games in 2009.
The Civil Aviation Department also said that a land area of 5,000 hectares has been set aside for the new airport and the feasibility study is expected to be completed by 2010. If the Lao government approves the plan, the Booyong Company will carry out construction work in 2011 and its scheduled completion date is 2015.

Lao tourist hits by global financial and economic crisis

(KPL) The tourist circumstances of Laos this year was affected by the global financial crisis and stemmed economy worldwide and the political crisis of neighbouring country occurred recent month, Chairman of National Tourism Administration, Mr Somphong Mongkhounvilay yesterday. 

This condition considerable impacts to the tourist of Laos and made a large number of foreign tourists canceled fight headed to Laos via neighbouring country, particularly the tourists who traveled with Thai airline,  he continue. 

However the turmoil has reduced and it expects the number of tourists with destination to visit Laos will soon come back to normal in this high season. 

Mr Somphong released his key note speech to open the 4th nationwide meeting of National Tourism Administration took place yesterday, Vientiane Capital where drew line-deputy governors countrywide and officials from relevant agencies. 

Over the past 10 month this year, over 1.3 million tourist visited Laos compared to previous year it soared 3 percent. This figure compared to the expected figure was not high according to the plan Laos will receive 1.8 million people and will receive income about US$250 million.

 In the period of 2007-08, Laos' tourist has considerably expanded which indicated that the Laos welcomed 1.6 million tourists in 2007 or increased by 34 percent and draw income over US$233 million which covered 8 percent of GDP. This income considers it the second rank next to mining sector. 

This year, 134 tourist companies are running their business in Laos that increased 22 companies and 1,381 guesthouses and hotels with 22,233 bed rooms.

Lao Airlines loses US$ 300,000 due to Suvarnbhumi Airport closure

(KPL) Lao Airlines admitted last Friday that it lost at least US$ 300,000 or 2.5 billion kip caused by Suvarnbhumi International Airport in Bangkok closed for a week. 
Suvarnbhumi International Airport of Thailand is one of the biggest airports in ASEAN Nations which is main gateway linking to other continents worldwide, but when Thai anti-government protestors seized the airport on 26 November. 
This leads to the closure of Suvarnbhumi airport affected domestic and foreign travelers who are going to visit Thailand and other country especially Laos, said tourism officials.
Vice Marketing Manager of the Lao Airlines, Mr Sitthideth Duangsitthi confirmed that 2,196 passengers of Lao airlines who trapped at the Suvarnbhumi Airport leading to they cancelled and changed their flight for transit in Vietnam, Cambodia and Malaysia. 
Out of the total passengers of the Lao airline, of whom at least 23 Lao people trapped in the Suvarnbhumi airport in this case they decided to change to use the bus and train.