Government officials and representatives from the private sector met yesterday in Vientiane to discuss ways to increase tourism revenue from the present hundreds of thousands to billions of dollars by 2020.

http://www.vientianetimes.org.la/FreeContent/free_Laos%20aims%20for.htm

Around 50 participants attended the 3rd Quarterly Symposium on Tourism Sector Human Resources Development in Laos, which was organised by the Lao National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality (LANITH) in collaboration with the Lao National Tourism Administration through the support of the Luxembourg Development Cooperation Project.

Chief Technical Advisor of LANITH Mr Peter Semone said “Attendees will plan future strategies to turn Lao tourism into a billion dollar industry. They will also learn about future changes to tourism in the country and what it will take to achieve them.”

He said that in 2010, there were 2.5 million visitors to Laos and the Lao tourism sector received US$400 million in revenue, second only behind the mining sector.

Eighty percent of visitors were from within the region. However, most stayed only a short time in Laos, meaning they accounted for only 45 percent of revenue in the tourism sector, with the rest coming from tourists from other regions, Mr Semone said.

“So, today we will discuss how to manage tourism services and increase tourist stays per diem to achieve one billion dollars in revenue by 2020.”

“It is not only up to us, the tourism sector, to achieve the goal, but all communities. Laos also needs to improve its quality of services through education and training programmes,” he added.

NOT GONNA HAPPEN!!!

After 2 weeks in Laos it starts to get boring. The monotony is compounded more so, when you don't know anyone. There just isn't really anything exciting to do in Laos . Until more attractions are brought in, it's highly likely Laos will remain only a transit stop for most.

Need to improve basic infrastructure. But whatever we are thinking about government is probably already working on it.

Agreed. Government need revenue to develop the country. I supported dams construction from the started. I say we need more and more. Dams is on hold for more study not cancel. I think Lao government will go ahead.

Laos is battery of ASEAN. Thailand will finance and build the dams. Who care what Vietnam think. After 35 year Laos don't want to be poor anymore. China has already build couple dams in upper Mekong River. I don't see too many country protested about it.


PEACE wrote on 19^th May, 2011 at 2:06pm:

Vietnam been controlling Laos since 1975. They put the current government in power. They has political influences and had influences Laos policy. That explain why Laos is poor and underdeveloped for the past 35 year. That's why Lao government bring in China and Thailand. I think Thailand only has economic interest and our culture is similar.



PEACE wrote on 20^th May, 2011 at 12:21pm:

llX wrote on 20^th May, 2011 at 3:22pm:

Forget about the Siamese, man. Despite us being brothers, there is no mutual love. It's all sibling rivalry.

Pretty bad here in the US because we are part of a materialistic society where a person will always want to have better 'stuff' than others.  Very agree and even worse in Laos I bet.

Like what LaoCowboy just mentioned.