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Heritage Line Enters Laos’ Mekong Flotilla
Heritage Line announced the launch of its latest luxury vessel, the Anouvong, along with a pair of Lao Mekong cruises to commence in 2020. Named after Chao Anouvong, the last monarch of the Vientiane Kingdom, the boat’s design fuses traditional Laotian artwork with French-colonial elegance. The Anouvong features 10 staterooms including two Signature Suites with in-room Jacuzzis and private balconies. The vessel also offers a spacious terrace deck, spa, and Luang Prabang temple-themed restaurant. Heritage Line will offer two Mekong cruises in Laos. The “Golden Triangle Traverse” takes in a 3-night trip from Luang Prabang to Houay Xay (or vice versa). The “Laotian Serendipity” lasts seven to nine nights from Vientiane to Houay Xay (or vice versa). Heritage Line
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Saffron Coffee Directly Assists Growers
Saffron Coffee is on the move all year long, from planting to harvesting to roasting and brewing. There’s no low season in Luang Prabang. The “busy-ness” of harvest (ripe cherry purchase) and the high tourist season (October to March) presents a hectic schedule of planting and cultivation. Lao Coffee Promotion staff connect Saffron Coffee’s 850-plus smallholder farming families to the company’s processing of uniquely shade-grown, northern Lao Arabica coffee. In December each year, subject to water availability in their villages, farmers have their own seed beds and coffee nursery to tend, or the company delivers seedlings in June and July. Saffron believes the best way to support hilltribe families is through direct assistance: ongoing training, support, and guaranteeing a market for all the coffee they grow. Direct assistance doesn’t guarantee success for every farming family or for every tree planted, but it takes big strides in that direction. Saffron’s partner families are spread throughout 35 villages in Luang Prabang, Oudomxay, Houaphanh, and Phongsaly provinces, so direct assistance means staff spend many hours travelling the windy roads of northern Laos. In March and April, farmers’ plots are surveyed, and undergrowth is cleared for planting in June and July. In 2019, Saffron’s partner farmers will plant about 60,000 new trees. That’s about 25 hectares. Saffron is proud to place quality, local, Lao coffee in the hands (and mouths!) of thousands of visitors to Luang Prabang through its Espresso, Brew Bar, and Roastery on the Mekong River, and the small Alley takeaway store in Ban Houa Xieng. Visit Saffron Coffee or email info@saffroncoffee.com for more information.
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“Made in Laos” Fair to Open but Raises Confusion
The Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LNCCI) will hold the 6th Made in Lao Fair at Vientiane’s Lao-ITECC from May 10-19 for the country’s businesses to display their products to local and international buyers. However, the Made in Laos page of the LNCCI’s website focusses on “Branding Lao Promotion and Development Facility”, with a “Made in Laos” logo at the top. With the aim of supporting Made in Laos, We Are Lao’s site added a “Made in Laos” filtered search engine that directly connects site visitors to the businesses. Googling “Made in Laos” often finds this WeAreLao.com link on top. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) muddied the waters on 10 November 2017 with a press release entitled “Brand Lao works for better livelihoods”. The release never mentioned Made in Laos, but rather launched “Brand Laos” in partnership with the LNCCI. We Are Lao caught up to Brand Laos’ UNDP representative, Stephen Kreppel, late last year. He was hard pressed to answer questions concerning this initiative, became very frustrated, and walked away from the discussion. Little has been heard of Brand Laos since its 2017 launch, and it appears as if the project vanished in the mist. However Made in Laos marches ahead, and this year’s fair will continue promoting Lao products. The LNCCI is also heavily involved in promoting Lao products to foreign markets. Mark May 10-19 on your calendar, and see what Laos has to offer. Click here to read the Asian News Network’s article on this year’s Made in Laos Fair.
