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Tourist arrivals on track to hit target for 2019
by Siladda Souliyong The number of domestic and foreign tourists holidaying in Laos during the first nine months of this year increased compared to the same period last year, while visitor numbers from some countries that had slowed in recent years were also up. More than 3.4 million people vacationed in Laos in the first nine months of this year, an increase of about 11 percent compared to last year, while the number of visitors from China soared by 26 percent, according to the Tourism Development Department, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism. Visitors from Thailand – the main source of Laos’ tourists – rose by 6 percent while Vietnamese visitors increased by 11 percent. Tourist arrivals from many high-end countries also increased, with the number coming from the USA rising by 22 percent, while visitors from the United Kingdom also increased by 22 percent. The number of French visitors rose by 11 percent while German tourists increased by 13 percent. In comparison, visitor numbers from the Republic of Korea dropped by 1 percent, the number from Denmark fell by 27 percent, Swiss visitors declined by 18 percent, and the number from Finland plummeted by 28 percent. Director General of the Tourism Marketing Department, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Soun Manivong, told Vientiane Times visitor numbers had increased because of the Visit Laos-China Year tourism promotion. Publicity was also racheted up in media outlets in Laos and other countries in a bid to attract more visitors, he added. Officials are confident that more than 1 million Chinese out of an overall total of 4.5 million visitors will come to Laos during Visit Laos-China Year 2019 as the next three months are the high tourist season, Mr Soun said. Although many tourist attractions are located in provinces that were affected by floods last month, this has not had an impact on the visitor target figure and officials are looking at ways to rehabilitate flood-hit areas, he added. To achieve the government’s target of 4.5 million visitors in 2019, provinces across the country have created more tourist attractions, improved signage, and made adjustments to the price of accommodation following complaints about high costs. Some provinces are improving the quality of souvenirs by making them more colourful and providing information about their significance on the packaging. The authorities have also improved services at border crossings and trained officials to provide information to foreign visitors. Laos has 670 hotels, 2,432 guesthouses and resorts, 2,646 restaurants and 305 entertainment venues, according to the Tourism Development Department. There are numerous officially designated tourist attractions including 1,318 nature based sites, 596 places of cultural interest, and 294 places of historical significance. Source: Vientiane Times
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The Government of Lao PDR and the UN join forces to promote SDGs
The Government of Lao PDR and UN agencies kicked off today the celebrations to mark World Food Day (WFD) and the International Day (and National Week) for the Eradication of Poverty (IDEP) aiming at ensuring commitments to action on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Celebrated today, 16 October, under the theme “Our Actions are our Future. Healthy Diets for a #ZeroHungerWorld, WFD calls upon everyone to start thinking about what we eat and encourages coordinated action to achieve SDG 2 on zero hunger. This call for action across sectors seek to make healthy and sustainable diets affordable and accessible to all. Such actions also contribute toward achieving SDG1 on no poverty. This year, under the theme “Acting Together to Empower Children, their Families and Communities to End Poverty”, IDEP puts special emphasis on children. 2019 marks the 30th Anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on 20 November. The convention recognizes the right of every child to a standard of living adequate for the child’s physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development. Poverty hurts children’s development and, in turn, leads to lower income and health in adulthood. When child poverty is recognized as a denial of children’s human rights then people in positions of responsibility and power are legally bound to promote, protect and fulfil children’s rights. Above all, it is imperative to recognize and address the specific discriminations experienced by the girl child. “Not only the Government, UN agencies, private sector or farmers, but everyone needs to take actions to end poverty and achieve zero hunger in Lao PDR. In order to achieve SDGs we need to enhance responsibilities and effective implementation of the measures stipulated in the 8th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP),” said H.E. Dr. Lien Thikeo, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry. The Government of Lao PDR along with FAO and other UN agencies as well as development partners are working together closely to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG1 No Poverty and SDG2 Zero Hunger, which are the base for any further development. “FAO calls for collective responsibility and collaboration at local, national and international levels to work together to push forward and achieve SDG2, which aims to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture by 2030,” stated FAO Representative in the Lao PDR Mr Nasar Hayat. The public event to mark these important dates includes more than 100 exhibition booths, providing interesting information, images and knowledge on food security, as well as healthy, nutritious and sustainable diets. Lao PDR is actively moving forward to achieve all of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The country has made important progress in addressing food security and promoting nutritious diets for all. The Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of halving the proportion of hungry people was achieved by 2015, but stunting and wasting indicators for children under age of five years still pose challenges. Throughout the year, to mark the 30th Anniversary of CRC, the National Commission for the Advancement of Women, Mothers and Children (NCAWMC), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) and other line ministries along with private sector, civil society organisations and children themselves, supported by UNICEF, are organizing a series of public engagement activities to build awareness, support and commitment to action on the implementation of CRC and SDGs. FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Steven Cleary Southida Souliyavong Communication consultant, FAO Laos Programme Liaison Officer, FAO Laos (+85620) 56607279 (+85620 55920386) stevenanguscleary@gmail.com Southida.souliyavong@fao.org
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Main Buddhist Holidays in Laos
Tourists will find a Buddhist holiday in Laos almost every month of the year, and Off Road Laos Adventures presents a solid lineup with descriptions for the faithful and curious. “Buddhism is an important part of Laotian culture. Throughout the country, you can admire temples, meet monks in their orange robe or attend traditional rites. For example, the alms giving ceremony occurs every morning at dawn. But more important events are held all year round. Have you ever heard of the Buddhist Lent? Or the festival of lights? Many celebrations mark the year of the believers. Interested? We tell you everything in this article. Enjoy the reading.” Click here for the full story.
