Lao, Vangvieng: The land of opportunities

Located about a three hour drive north of the capital is Vangvieng district, a tourist-orientated town popular with both Vientiane residents and foreigners.Vangvieng is situated on a river and surrounded by rugged karst outcrops. Offering beautiful scenery, adventure activities, and a vibrant nightlife, holidaymakers call it heaven on earth. The locals call it the land of opportunities.

I had the chance to visit Vangvieng with a group of friends on the International Labour Day weekend. It was a great trip with great company in a great atmosphere.It had been about six years since I had had the opportunity to visit the town and found that it had changed a lot.

Unlike my trip six years ago, the road to Vangvieng is now lined with numerous petrol stations and retail outlets. Previously, it was difficult to find proper toilets or stores to buy food or drinks. However, since it has become a popular destination the town and surrounding villages have become more developed and accessible to tourists.

Vientiane province occupies an area of over 15,000 square kilometres and comprises 12 districts with a population of almost 500,000 people. Each year, the province plays a crucial role in generating revenue for the government. One of the major contributors of money are the businesses and services patronised by tourists.

Entering Vangvieng town, visitors are confronted with a wide range of businesses that cater to travellers’ needs. Restaurants, pubs, tour services, spas, and accommodations – to name a few – line the street. Travellers can find activities that suit any taste or budget.

The large number of businesses in the small town is testament to the fact that Vangvieng’s popularity is increasing day by day.It seems that every house, big or small, operates a business of some kind. This makes life convenient for tourists, whether they want to shop, eat, or just relax.

During the week, visitors enjoy tubing, trekking, cycling, or taking motorbike trips while others choose to find a riverside seat from which to watch picturesque sunsets, chat, or have a drink. If you are lucky, you might see thousands of bats pouring forth from the karst peaks like an oil slick flooding the skyline.After a day of activity, visitors return to their guesthouses for a brief rest before heading out to revel in Vangvieng’s nightlife.

At night the music from pubs, beer shops, and restaurants fills the street creating a vibrant, enjoyable atmosphere.I was amazed by the ingenuity of the locals when it came to finding ways to earn extra income. They have transformed every building, no matter how small, to make it interesting and inviting for tourists.

For example, a tiny house along the road to Pou Kham cave has been converted into a beer garden. Here, people who are cycling and riding motorbikes can stop to rest, enjoy the scenery, and slake their thirst before continuing on their way.

Although touristy spots can be a bit far, and the red dirt roads difficult to travel, this does not stop tourists from visiting or the locals from earning a living. Naturally, the more tourists that visit, the more money the locals are able to earn.

In addition to the locals, there is also a Chinese business community in the town. Most sell similar types of merchandise – shoes, clothes, glasses, and other accessories – that are made in China. The prices are reasonable and affordable and, if you can speak Chinese, you may be able to bargain for a lower price. I witnessed this when some Chinese-speaking women were able to get a discount while others, who did not speak the language, were not.

One Chinese woman I spoke to had been operating her shop in Vangvieng for a number of years. At the time she started there were few shops like it in town and her business thrived. However, as tourism increased so did the competition. This situation is not unique and each business owner has to develop their own strategy to attract customers. For her, the strategy is to keep prices low.

As you walk down the street at night you notice pancake sellers are everywhere. Part of the reason for this is that the profit margins are quite high because the retailers don’t have to pay rent on a shop. Instead, all they need is a trolley. They have also expanded the number of items they offer to attract more customers. In the past, they would only sell sweet pancakes but now most offer a variety of sandwiches. The sandwiches are typically western style – consisting of a grilled meat and salad – and are priced similarly from vendor to vendor.

Regardless of what type of business people run, there are always opportunities to be successful if they have a good strategy and a product that fills a need in the marketplace.Because business in Vangvieng is becoming so competitive, it is recommended that anyone thinking of doing business there should do extensive market research to be certain that their products are needed and good enough to be competitive. If not, the business may fail and the opportunity will be lost.

Source = laovoices