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Like many, my “Trash” button is wearing out. Every time I see an “expert” touting his or her idea on Covid tourism recovery, out goes the garbage. Then comes the “Skift Research Global Travel Outlook 2021” that “Rather than a written report, we have decided to present key themes.”

In 2011, tourism development guru, Peter Semone, told the 3rd LANITH Symposium, “Today we will discuss how…to achieve one billion dollars in revenue by 2020.” His crystal ball appeared to be working, as 2019’s take was USD 934,710,409. A 2020 billion-dollar target looked doable.

Covid clobbered tourism and hospitality coffers in 2020. All sizes of businesses took big hits. Plenty shuttered their doors. Others toughed it out and found something to do. WeAreLao joined them.

Suppose it is 1 Jan 2020, and we’re pouring over the Tourism Development Department’s “2019 Statistical Report on Tourism in Laos”. At a glance, Laos has plenty of reasons to smile. Arrivals jumped 14% to 4,791,065, revenue surged ahead 15.2% towards USD 1 billion, and Green Season is soaring. However, where visitors get their information seems muddled.