Tourism on track for expansion

Tourism has made remarkable progress in attracting more visitors to Laos, but much more could be done to promote Laos as a tourist destination. This was the message of Lao National Tourism Administration (LNTA) Vice Chairman Soukaseum Bodhisane, who addressed a tourism seminar in Vientiane on Saturday to mark the capital’s 450th anniversary.

More and more, places of historic and natural interest are encouraging tourists, especially Lao people, to experience the country’s special attractions, Mr Soukaseum said.

But infrastructure, human resource development and promotion need to be improved to provide visitors with greater satisfaction and better hospitality. At the seminar, resource persons from various sectors of the industry were invited to discuss aspects of their work with students and invited guests from Laos and abroad, including ecotourism and local tourism. The LNTA will focus on promoting local tourism by improving its structure, development plans, promotions and cooperation with overseas agencies to attract more visitors, Mr Soukaseum said.

By June this year, visitor arrivals had risen 26 percent compared to the same period in 2009 when just over 1 million visitors were recorded. However, the administration expects this figure will rise to about 2.2 million people for the whole of 2010. Mr Soukaseum said that to sustain tourism growth, the government has focused on the development of infrastructure and transport links with neighbouring countries. Improvements to such facilities are making travel to Laos from its five neighbouring countries more convenient and Laos is becoming a transit point within the region.

In addition, 21 international border crossings have opened, of which 16 can issue visas on arrival. Lao embassies issue 30 day visas, which can be extended for another 30 days. Tourist visa exemptions have been made available for eight Asean countries and some other friendly countries. Mr Soukaseum said Laos allows foreign investors 100 percent investment in development projects in the country.

The reason for the rise in visitor numbers is due to the policy of developing tourism as a fundamental income earner, he said, and importance is placed on sharing cultural experiences with other countries, as well as promoting peace, friendly relations and mutual benefits with other countries. The LNTA plans to attract more visitors by offering interesting activities, especially in Lao Tourism Year 2012.

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