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Handicraft Grants Boost Lao Artisans’ Skills
As highlighted by the upcoming Lao Handicraft Festival in Vientiane, preserving and promoting local handicrafts and culture is more important than ever in the times of Covid-19. To contribute to those efforts, the Skills for Tourism Project (LAO/029), which is implemented by the Ministry of Education and Sports and LuxDev, the Luxembourg Development Cooperation Agency, supported handicraft-related enterprises in providing training to artisans in their existing supply chain, also with the goal to increase producers’ income. Artisans weaving textiles together during a training organised by Khang Lao. © LuxDev Thirteen handicraft enterprise applicants qualified for grants that averaged €9,000, their common training goals being production techniques, and for artisans to understand what the market wants. Ma Te Sai, one of the grantees, is focusing on sewing, for instance. “I want our 20 trainees to finish products at home, not only to earn more income, but so that we save on sewing elsewhere,” said Managing Director Emi Weir. She added that Ms Khambang, an experienced seamstress, conducts the training to ensure quality, as they export and sell online. Production methods, product demand, and quality also guide trainings by other grant recipients. TaiBaan Crafts Founder Shui-Meng Ng said she gathered artisan groups from several provinces to share their experiences. “Participants discuss and demonstrate their various dyeing techniques and materials.” Additional sessions on quality control rely on feedback from overseas buyers, so participants can understand quality standards, size specifications, expectations on colours and consistency. The export market also drives Gaebi Studio’s training. “Our current focus is on designing products that target middle and higher classes, both in Laos and internationally,” said Founder/Designer Shin Yoonsun. Gaebi’s training additionally stresses basic business operations with a focus on all operations, from production planning and design to market access and business operations. Achieving standardisation can however prove to be difficult for products that are particularly characterised by their uniqueness. “Electric sewing machines are not very popular in the villages, so they create products made by weaving without them, and based on the villagers’ skills.” Other grantees, such as Khang Lao Handicrafts, divided training into different categories. “Our sessions help artisans produce better quality items and adjust their work to new market trends and demands,” said Founder Viengkham Nanthavongdouangsy. Khang Lao quality-control training covers all aspects of production from raw materials, yarn, and dying through packaging. Much like their training foci, the selected handicraft enterprises’ product lines differ. While TaiBaan’s range aims to suit urban and overseas buyers seeking household items, Ma Te Sai’s training pinpoints products such as masks, bags, Lao sinhs and simple western-style clothing, with a focus on design, colour, and marketing. “We want them to understand what customers like Ma Te Sai expect, and how we can co-create products based on traditional patterns and processes,” Ms Weir explained. TaiBaan uses the fabric to make home decor items, cushion covers, blankets, and placemats. “We do not change artisans’ woven designs or techniques, but select designs and motifs more suited to urban buyers.” Khang Lao’s founder Ms Viengkham agrees, “Lao textiles are rich in production techniques, and present a variety of unique traditional motifs.” The grant programme mitigates Covid-19’s impact by adjusting its timeline, while accounting for village’s farming schedule. Even though handicraft production continues at lower levels, retail shops see rewards in investing in their rural supply chain. Artisans are learning new dyeing and sewing techniques, and quality control. They better understand market demand and are adapting their products that remain based on traditional skills and designs. The Handicraft Skills for Tourism Small Grants Facility is financed by the Skills for Tourism Project (LAO/029) which is funded by the Governments of Lao PDR, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Switzerland, and implemented by the Ministry of Education and Sports of Lao PDR and LuxDev, the Luxembourg Development Cooperation Agency.
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Going Local: Riverside Boutique Resort, Vang Vieng
Sustainable experiences reach into themed rooms at the Riverside Boutique Resort, while General Manager Mathieu Thaeron cuts consumption by relying on common sense and a clued-in staff. Today’s travellers demand sustainability and authentic experiences. Riverside delivers both. “The moment guests enter, they feel like they’re in Laos,” Mr Thaeron said, and the 34 rooms and suites prove it. All feature fabrics, decor and artefacts from one of eight local ethnic groups. “Our staff from these ethnicities can best explain their traditions, lifestyles and crafts,” he said. “The guests are eager to discuss the culture, and often change rooms for a broader experience.” Behind these room scenes, Mr Thaeron cuts energy consumption using common sense. Dimmers are out. “Guests tend to turn dimmers on high,“ he said. “We also lower minibar temps after guests leave, and shut off electricity to all unoccupied buildings.” Common sense saves water. “We measure flow from taps and showers. Then we match the water heater with flow to get good pressure and temperature. This cuts water and electricity costs.” He added, “Rooms have silent overhead fans. They look nice and are efficient. We ask guests to ‘Give the fan a chance’.” Still, guests need energy-eating A/Cs. For efficiency, bamboo boxes block the sun, promote airflow and cut costs by 15%.” Beyond rooms, innovative solutions start with poolside lanterns, fuelled by used cooking oil. Plastic bottles protect the tree-lamps bulbs. Public bathroom lights go on and off when people enter and exit. Riverside’s kitchen eased exhaust fans’ work by shortening vent pipes. Food waste goes to the staff to feed family farm animals. Laundry? “We line-dry then fluff in dryers that are expensive to run.” Housekeeping? “We only uses eco-cleaners that produce less waste.” Recycling? “Policies are in place.” All this adds up to achieving the Lao PDR Sustainable Tourism Development Best Practices Award. On top of that, “ASEAN wants us to represent their Spa Standards…be the example. Mr Thaeron stressed the staff’s role in the resort’s sustainability efforts, prioritized in October 2019. “I tell them why we take actions. They understand, and that is our key to success.” Hotel sustainability expert, Patricio Gonzalez Morel, saw this first-hand when he assessed the resort. “It usually takes GMs a long time to start adopting even the simplest improvements…Mathieu mobilized his staff in a week. “He cut energy consumption by 35% in three months, and I expect 50% soon after.” Mr Thaeron shrugged. “The reason is simple: common sense and an eager staff who understand…They get it.” Covid Clean & Safe “Just after starting our sustainable push, Covid came,” Mr Thaeron said. “So we merged policies, and the staff was ready.” Covid consciousness kicks off at Riverside’s check in. UV sterilizers sanitize key and credit cards. The front desk monitors temper-atures of guests, visitors and staff wearing masks and gloves. “We deep clean rooms after check out,” Mr Thaeron said. “Anything guests touch gets wiped with alcohol: door handles, faucets, remote controls, switches…everything.” RIVERSIDE BOUTIQUE RESORT www.riversidevangvieng.com info@riversidevangvieng.com +856 (0)23 511 726-8
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WeAreLao Keeps Linking
WeAreLao.com has expanded it “Helpful Links” page to include 13 provincial tourism websites and Facebook pages and relevant tourism sites to provide visitors with a fast path to updated and detailed information and contacts for the destination of their choice. WeAreLao.com is already packed with 400-plus pages of information, and sought an efficient and cost-effective way to take tourists and agents straight to the source. “Helpful Links follows the direct-link model used in the listings on our filtered search engines – Sleep & Eat, Find a Tour, and Made in Laos – as well as adverts on various pages,” said WeAreLao Senior Partner Bernie Rosenbloom. The listings provide brief descriptions of the businesses with a photo or logo, links to their website or Facebook page, and much-needed contact information. Mr Rosenbloom sees WeAreLao.com’s role as an informative intermediary in the purchasing process before the final step. “Originally, WeAreLao wanted to bypass OTAs and hotel booking engines so visitors could directly book their rooms and tours with local businesses,” he said. “We have since expanded our search-engine listings and adverts to cover eight categories. Helpful Links uses the same avenue to connect visitors’ with provincial tourism departments and other useful sites.” The Helpful Links menu item is located on the footer of each site page.
