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Sabaidee Pandaw Successfully Completes River Trials in Laos
Pandaw’s newest river cruise ship has successfully completed river trials ahead of her inaugural voyage from Laos to China this November. Sabaidee Pandaw, which is the 17th in the line’s fleet and the third Laos-based vessel, was built by a team from Laos, Thailand and Myanmar. During her river trials, the vessel sailed upstream against a “strong monsoon current” and achieved a speed of 8 knots. “We are confident she has the power to get us up river to China,” said Pandaw in a press release. “To give you an idea of her power, this small ship has engines three times larger than our far bigger ships downstream on the Lower Mekong. We are very happy with the build quality and standard of fit out.” Built to meet demand on Pandaw’s popular Laos to China route across Yunnan, Sabaidee Pandaw has two decks and is designed to easily sail through the shallow waters and the rapids in the Laos gorges. The ship can accommodate 28 passengers in 14 staterooms – eight on the main deck and six on the upper deck – and also has an open-plan saloon with flexible indoor or outdoor dining, a 24-hour bar, an on-board bakery, a library and a guest services desk. Source: CruiseandFerry.net
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Visa-free Extension for Korea
Citizens of the Republic of Korea visiting Laos can now stay in the country for up to 30 days without a visa, following a new visa exemption scheme which comes into effect on 3 September 2018. The Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs made the announcement on Thursday, extending the current visa exemption for another 15 days so that Korean tourists can now stay in Laos for 30 days without a visa. The extension of the visa-free stay for Korean visitors was made in response to their wish to stay in Laos for a longer period without having to obtain a visa. It is believed the extension will boost the number of Korean visitors to Laos. In recent years, Laos has witnessed a significant growth in the number of tourist arrivals from Korea. In 2017, more than 170,000 Korean citizens came to Laos for holidays. Korean Ambassador to Laos Shin Sung-soon had said previously that a 15-day visa exemption was not long enough for independent travellers wanting to explore Laos. Laos has now granted visa exemptions for ordinary citizens of 19 countries. Of these, 11 countries have signed bilateral visa exemption agreements with Laos. The 11 countries include nine other Asean member countries, namely Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The other two are Mongolia and Russia. Citizens of the eight other countries have benefited from unilateral visa exemption by Laos. They are nationals of Japan, Republic of Korea, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. However, citizens of the four latter countries have been granted visa exemptions for the year 2018 as part of a special promotion by the Lao government to encourage people from these four countries to take holidays in Laos during Visit Laos Year 2018. Source: Vientiane Times
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Luang Prabang to Host Sustainable Tourism Solutions Expo
The inaugural Sustainable Tourism Solutions Expo (STSE 2018) will take place at the Luang Prabang View Hotel on 14-15 September, to match more than 30 Lao and international sellers of sustainable products and services with the hospitality trade in Luang Prabang and the Mekong region, as well as hold four related symposia. Gabriel Kuperman, Event Coordinator for STSE 2018, said the expo is the first B2B event in the Mekong region connecting the suppliers of sustainable products and services to an expected 300 buyers from throughout Laos, Thailand, and Hanoi. “The Sustainable Tourism Solutions Expo is the first event of its kind in the region to bring together hospitality businesses and vendors of sustainable products, technology, and services,” Mr Kuperman said. “It offers the opportunity for local businesses to learn about and purchase sustainable alternatives to traditional tourism and hospitality supplies, such as environmentally-friendly cleaning products and toiletries, plastic-free packaging, locally produced substitutes to imported food and beverages, and handmade gifts and décor,” he explained. STSE 2018 features two full days of B2B networking, deal-making, and consultations with exhibitors offering the latest in cost-saving products and services for the tourism industry, which are also environmentally friendly and locally responsible. Buyers will find drinking water filtration systems, biodegradable packaging, energy efficient technology, organic vegetables, and handmade gifts. They can also meet local responsible tour operators and hotels, and learn how to get certified by Travelife. There are five categories of exhibitors: 1. Eco-Friendly Hospitality Supplies 2. Organic and Local Foods 3. Handmade Products 4. Sustainable Tours and Accommodation 5. Certifications and Initiatives STSE 2018 also features four symposia on cutting edge and practical approaches to sustainable tourism. “Attendees will learn ways to communicate responsible practices and tap into traveller preferences, discuss certification and incentive schemes, and talk green investment,” Mr Kuperman said. “Symposia will bring together business practitioners and new thinkers. All sessions are free and open to the public.” The Friday, 14 September, schedule shows “Saving Money through Sustainability: How eco-friendly practices are better for business” at 13:30 – 15:00, and “Travelife Certification for Hotels: How does it work, and what are the benefits?” at 15:30 – 16:30. Saturday presents “Why Sustainability Communication Matters: Improving the guest experience,” at 13:30 – 15:00, and “How Can I Help Local Children?: Answering challenging questions from guests,” at 15:30 – 16:30. STSE 2018 is also taking the expo to the next sustainable step by striving to be a single-use, plastic-free event. “As the STSE is about minimising negative environmental, social, and economic impacts and maximising long-term benefits to tourism destinations as well as businesses, we are holding an event that is in line with these principles,” Mr Kuperman said. “We are striving to be a single-use plastic-free expo, thus no exhibitor nametags or lanyards will be produced,” he added. “Booth frames and furniture are either reusable or biodegradable, and printed materials will be kept to a minimum. Mr Kuperman noted the venue for STSE 2018,the Luang Prabang View Hotel, is a leader in sustainable practices at the UNESCO World Heritage city, and features green roof gardens, a recycling and composting programme, all-natural cleaning products, and minimal plastic waste. The Luang Prabang View Hotel landed the ASEAN MICE Award at the 21st ATF on 26 January 2018. The honour is presented to venues that comply with stringent ASEAN MICE standards. Luang Prabang View Hotel is offering a limited number of hotel rooms at a preferential rate for early registrants to STSE 2018. Contact STSE 2018 to access this offer. For those, who wish to visit the event, go to the STSE 2018 Facebook page. For more information, visit: https://stse.la.
