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In this issue:
MTO applauds grant to Laos
war time caves
Emerald Triangle meeting in
early May
Thailand Travel Mart
approaching
Lao Ecotourism Fair coming
up in July
Thai loan to improve Pakse
airport
MTDP meeting in the heart of
the Mekong Delta
International Visitor Arrivals to Mekong Nations
MTO applauds grant to
Laos war time caves
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Passage ways
inside the army cave |
The Mekong Tourism Office (MTO) has welcomed the news a collection of
caves which provided shelter to 23,000 Laotians during nine years of
aerial bombardment in the Indochina War, are to receive funding from the
PATA Foundation grant in 2007. The grant will be awarded to the Kaysone
Phomvihane Memorial Tour Cave Office to fund the research and
development of an audio tour and related promotional material on the
‘Viengxay Story’ into three languages - Lao, Vietnamese and English.
“The Mekong Tourism Office is very happy to see this financial support
coming from the donor parties. It will prove invaluable to developing
what is an important tourist site and the livelihoods of local residents
in the area” said MTO executive director Stephen Yong.
PATA members the Netherlands Development Agency (SNV) and the Lao
National Tourism Administration (LNTA) aim to develop the caves as both
a tourist destination and a ‘world peace site’ focusing on poverty
reduction and the needs of local people. The caves are located in
Viengxay district in Laos’ northeast in Houaphanh, the poorest province
in Laos, where 40% of the population survives on less than US$1 per day.
Locally, tourism is now being heralded as a vital tool in the fight
against poverty.
The area’s development is supported by the Laotian government. The Prime
Minister's office has a permanent representative on the committee set up
to oversee developments at Viengxay, the physical birthplace and
spiritual cornerstone of modern-day Laos. The LNTA is promising an
enriching and educational experience to those who visit the ‘cave city’
and plans for its development are set to be unveiled at the Lao
Ecotourism Fair July 26-29 in Vientiane.
The 480 caves in Viengxay are those which were transformed into a de
facto cave city when Laos - between 1964 and 1973 - became caught up in
a secret war which remains largely ignored in world history. They were
used to house leaders and fighters of the Phathet Lao army.
For further information, contact Dr. Paul Rogers of SNV on
progers@snvworld.org
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Emerald Triangle meeting in early May
The 4th Working Group Meeting on Tourism Cooperation in the Emerald
Triangle is set for May 2-4 at Laithong Hotel in Ubon Ratchathani,
Thailand.
Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports is inviting representatives
from the national tourism organisations, governments and private sectors
of Cambodia and Laos to attend the meeting. These include the World
Tourism Organization (UNWTO), United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP), United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the
Pacific (UNESCAP) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The Emerald Triangle Cooperation Framework comprises Cambodia, Laos and
Thailand. As tourism can be an effective instrument for socio-economic
development, the initial aim of the triangle cooperation is to utilize
the combined tourism resources of the sub region for the mutual benefit
of the participating countries. For more information click on to
www.mfa.go.th/web/1486.php.
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Thailand Travel
Mart approaching
The Thailand Travel Mart 2007 Plus Amazing Gateway to Greater Mekong
Subregion (TTM+2007) takes place June 7-10 at Impact Muang Thong Thani
in Bangkok. The show is targeting 400 invited buyers from key and
emerging markets and 400 sellers from Thailand and the Mekong region.
June 7 and 8 are trade only days, while the evening of June 8 through to
June 10 are consumer days; TTM+2007 is being held in conjunction with
the Thailand Tourism Fair for Thai consumers and expatriates. Sellers
are being encouraged to participate in both TTM2007 and the Thailand
Tourism Festival, to reach both trade delegates and consumers. For more
details click on to
www.thailandtravelmartplus.com.
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Lao Ecotourism Fair coming up in July
The 2007 Lao Ecotourism Forum – the third annual edition of the show -
takes place July 26-29 at Vientiane’s Don Chan Palace Hotel. Bringing
together high quality and innovative Mekong region ecotourism products
and services under the theme ‘Bridging the Mekong Region’, the event is
aimed at showcasing the natural and cultural heritage of Laos and the
Mekong region.
Whereas last year the event covered just two days, this year the program
features a full day Mekong Ecotourism Conference and a full day of
buyers-sellers appointments in the Mekong Ecotourism Mart, as well as
two public days on July 28 and 29. The 5k Mekong Fun Run and Lao Food
Festival have also been added. The run on July 28 is open to all and
starts at 6.30 am at Vientiane's That Luang Stupa and pass the Victory
Monument and Vientiane's Old Quarter before finishing at the Don Chan
Palace Hotel.
The objectives of the forum are: to promote ecotourism related products
and services which showcase the natural and cultural heritage of Laos
and the Mekong region; increase business opportunities and networking
between ecotourism providers and consumers with the aim of increasing
knowledge of the Mekong region around the world; and to facilitate
discussions and the exchange of ideas about the successes and potential
for developing ecotourism programs which support poverty alleviation and
the protection of natural and cultural heritage in the Mekong region.
“We are hoping to raise the profile of outstanding ecotourism
opportunities available in the Greater Mekong Sub-region and make sure
that protection of the natural and cultural resources that make the
region so special is given the attention it deserves” said Steven
Schipani, Team Leader, Community-Based Tourism Component, LNTA-ADB
Mekong Tourism Development Project, Lao National Tourism Administration.
Buyers to the forum represent mostly Asian, European and North American
source markets. In terms of sellers, most will be Laos based companies,
although all GMS member nations will be represented. More than half of
the 90 sellers booths have been booked. A number of Asean based
investors have also shown interest in the region’s ecotourism sector and
will join the forum.
For more details and online registration click on to
www.ecotourismlaos.com/forum2007.
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Thai loan to
improve Pakse airport
Thailand is to provide Laos a soft loan package of Bt320 million to
improve Pakse International Airport in southern Laos’ Champasak
province. Thailand's director of the Neighbouring Countries Economic
Development Cooperation Agency Noppadol Pankrawee and Lao Ambassador to
Thailand Ouan Pommachak signed the bilateral agreement late April.
The Bt320 million package consists of Bt224 million in a low interest
rate loan and Bt96 million as a grant. The loan component carries an
annual interest rate of 1.5%, paid back over 30 years with a 10 year
grace period. The agreement – initially approved by Thailand in March
2004 - is in response to the Lao government’s request for Thai support
to expand Pakse airport to meet international aviation safety standards.
The terms of reference state Thai consultancy and construction firms
will be used and at least half of the goods and services sourced from
Thailand.
Noppadol said an improved Pakse airport would enhance bilateral ties
through a greater volume of travel and transport between the two
countries, contributing to mutual growth, creating employment
opportunities and reducing economic disparity.
etna.mcot.net.
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MTDP meeting in the heart of the
Mekong Delta
The 7th Sub-Regional Steering Committee of the Asian Development Bank
Mekong Tourism Development Project (ADB-MTDP) met in My Tho City of
Vietnam’s Tien Giang Province on April 1, 2007. Attending were
delegations from Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, China’s Yunnan Province and
the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
The meeting was presided over by newly appointed chairman of the Vietnam
National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) Hoang Tuan Ahn who asserted
his appreciation of the ADB’s continued support of sustainable tourism
development in the Mekong Sub-Region through projects such as the MTDP.
Part A of the MTDP focuses on infrastructure and each of the three MTDP
participating countries of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam gave brief updates
on their respective progress in the implementation of the MTDP.
Highlights included: the completed upgrading of 6.3 km of road access
(including the construction of two bridges) from Phnom Penh to Choeung
Ek Genocide Memorial in Cambodia; the near completion of improvements on
the access road to Kuang Si Falls in Laos; and the commencement of river
pier construction in Chau Doc and Vinh Xuong in Vietnam’s An Giang
Province.
Discussions also focused on the Part B Community-based Tourism
component, in which Laos in particular reported progress in successful
implementation, resulting in a myriad of poverty alleviation initiatives
including the development and enhancement of several small and
medium-sized enterprises. Cambodia and Vietnam, while less advanced in
their progress, also reported accomplishments in developing visitor
information centres, gender equality programs and ecotourism product
development.
The meeting concluded with an indepth dialogue on the Part C
Sub-Regional Cooperation component. Click on to
www.mot.gov.kh/adb_mtdp/index_adb_project.htm for further
information on topics discussed including The Socially Responsible
Tourism Guide, enhancement of Economic/Tourism Corridors and the UNESCO
Heritage Guide training program. ADB representative Alfredo Perdiguero,
commenting on the meeting, said it was “the most confident I have been
of the commitment of the sub-region to the MTDP and future ADB tourism
related projects.”
The 8th Sub-Regional Steering Committee Meeting of the ADB-MTDP is
scheduled for December 2007 in Laos.
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Source:
PATA Strategic
Intelligence Centre |
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