 |
|
|
Printer version
Printer version |
 |
LATA News Board of Directors fixed date for election of new board in December 2007 The Board of Directors has agreed to postpone the annual meeting of LATA till December 2007 but not specific the date of the meeting yet said the President of Lao Association of Travel Agents on 31 July 2007. The annual meeting of LATA will report to members about the achievement of LATA’s activities. Mme Vayakone mentioned that the election of new board of LATA will be announced to members at the annual conference including the process of election new board of directors to take over the job of the old board.
Product Development Training was closed successfully Last week LATA was organized Product Development training in This training focused to enhance building capacity for Managers, director or deputy director related to planning of the company. 37 members of LATA are attended the course held in
All training documents and materials are property of LATA and are reserved for LATA and its members only. Training materials can only be made on request by LATA members to admin@latalaos.org or for more information please contact +856 21 251769.
The training also focused on practical approach that based on experience and practices, shared experience on case studies including feedback and interaction from the participants, and aimed to offer practical advice and suggestions for sustainable product development. Majority of participants said that, according to the evaluation and feedback, the training was very useful, comprehensive and well organized. “I am very happy to attend this training because I am able to obtain new ideas from case studies both theory and practical works from this training and I feel more confidence to produce best quality of product development if possible I would like LATA to organize similar training for our LATA members”, said the participant. Though many positive feedbacks are given, there are still rooms for future improvement if similar training is to be organized. According to their comments, it is suggested that the training should comprise more activities, case study and more exercise; organize a longer training session in order to cover all aspect of sustainable product development and of course translation is also a key issue for future improvement if possible interpreter should be Thai or Lao. In sum, this training was successfully organized and trainees are satisfied with the outcome of the training.
FAM TRIP TO
For the 4 days 3 nights FAM trip in Cambodia the LATA members have an opportunity to visit the important of tourist sites in Phnom Phen, lost city the kemer Empire: South gate of Angkor Thom, Gaint face of famous Bayon and Baphuon temples, Terraces of Elephants and Leper king Akas Temple, and the World Heritage of Angkor Wat temple. Fam trip to
Lao Ecotourism a great success
Lao Ecotourism Forum a great success. With over 80 seller booths, 70 handicraft and provincial tourism exhibits, 54 buyers, nearly 100 official delegates and media coverage from around the world, this year’s Forum was the biggest ever. In addition to the Mekong Ecotourism Mart and Mekong Ecotourism Conference, the Lao Food Festival, 5km Mekong Fun Run and Biggest Baci Pha Kuan in the world display attracted a combined total of more than 10,000 people. H.E. Somphong Mongkhonvilay, Minister, Chairman of the Lao National Tourism Administration said “we are extremely happy with the level of interest this year’s Lao Ecotourism Forum has generated, and are confident that the event has helped to raise the profile of ecotourism products and services in Lao PDR and the GMS
LAO News One meal is not enough
wants overland tour operators to sell an overnight stay in the province for the tourists who join tours along Route No.9 from With the opening of the 2 nd The corridor is supposed to extend from the Savannakhet Tourism Department estimates that out of 100 tourists who travel along this route, only five make an overnight stay in the province. Travellers stop for lunch at the halfway point in both directions. That is the full extent of the tourism benefit for the central Once the Unfortunately for The Lao lunch stop for tourists on Route No9 is at Muang Phin, located 162 km from the Savannakhet Provincial Tourism Department director, Bounmy Khantivong, told delegates joining the “We don’t want tourist to pass by Savannakhet. All three countries should be able to benefit from this route evenly. I hope that the related partners from A major challenge is the lack of tourist facilities such as guest houses and also secondary roads to tourist attractions near route 9. According to Ms Bounmy, Savannakhet is planning to develop the tourism attractions that could help to extend length of stay. It plans to promote history, cultural and natural tourism attractions along the Route 9. Key cultural attraction include: In Hang Stupa; Stone House; Hortaipidok Library; Natural attractions include: trekking in Dongnatad; monkey forest; Salen Waterfall; Meanwhile, historical tourism attraction include: The Lam-Xeun war 179; Ho Chi Minh Trail; Historical Site at Source:ETTR
New airline takes off to the Lao sky Government owned helicopter operator, branches out into commercial aviation with services to three remote towns.
Out of the blue a second airline is offering flights on domestic routes in Not be confused with Lao Airlines, the official national airline, Lao Air was established in 2002. However, it still 100% government owned with even a government official appointed as chairman. There are also reports that it has close links to the Lao military. Up until last April, the small airline concentrated on charter flights mainly for mining companies and non-government organisations. Last April, it announced it was introducing scheduled services from Lao Air managing director, Bounma Chanthavongsa, said: “The government has changed its policy that protected the national carrier from competition. Now the country is opening its aviation business to other investors.” Although his airline is still 100% government owned there are also reports that two private companies have filed for permits to establish airlines to serve domestic and regional destinations from a base in Mr Bounma told TTR Weekly, Lao Air will ultimately serve the Vientaine-Luang Prabang route and branch out to regional destinations in “We will need to obtain larger aircraft and we have not proceeded with the order yet.” Currently, Lao Air flies twice a week from the Lao capital to Sam Neua, Phongsali and Sayaburi Roundtrip fares are 1,133,000 kip (US$113) to Sam Neua; 1,373,000 (US$137) to Phongsali and 893,000(US$89) to Sayaburi. The airline has a counter at “Our flights are full but most passengers are locals, mainly government officials; very few tourists joint our flights,” said Mr Bounma. However, he acknowledged that flights to these remote towns are dependent on weather conditions. This could explain while tourism officials in Sam Neua, as recently as June, reported that the airport closed after Lao Airlines suspended its servicing using a Y12 aircraft in November 2006. An independent and reliable source in “It depends on the weather in the mountains,” the source reported. “That would explain why so few people know about the service. An Asian Trails representative, based in “We do not have a schedule for them at the moment,” the source said. It illustrates the fact that both the travel trade and consumers know little about this airline, three months after it went commercial. TTR Weekly Mekong correspondent, Reinhard Hohler filed the first report on the airline, after watching a group of passengers boarding an aircraft at “They were joining a flight to Sam Neua,” he wrote. “I counted 12 passengers boarding. Mr Hohler contacted the airline counter at Vientiane airport to talk to the station manager, who gave him brochures and explained the airlines was flying services three domestic destinations. The travel industry would welcome a reliable air service to Sam Neua. It is the nearest town to the historical Viengxay caves where the Pathet Lao established a government during the Second Indochina War 1964 to 1973. The caves were opened to tourists in 2000, but were only promoted to international tourists in a concerted manner in late 2006. The alternative to flying to Sam Neua, is a 16-hour bus ride from Luang Prabang or eight hours by car from Phonsavan, the nearest town served by Lao Airlines. Source: ETTR
Lao National Tourism Administration reported a 27% increase in international tourist arrivals during the first four months of this year.
According to the LNTA, the country welcomed 546,197 foreign visitors from January to April this year, a 27% jump compared to the 429,040 arrivals recorded during the same period last year. Arrivals from Asean countries increased 34% to 413,157, with Arrivals from French numbers eased ahead 4% to 12,397 arrivals, and the
Regional News Social side tourism
Sri Lanka Tourist Board will launch a project designed to raise Outlining the rationale behind the Sri Lanka Tourism’s chairman of Social Responsibility Service Project, Renton Alwis said: “The new plan is designed to bring greater numbers of socially and environmentally-aware tourists to Sri Lanka, and to enhance their holiday experience while here.” According to Mr Alwis, the plan aims to link communities with tourism activities to ensure that the benefits from tourism actually contribute towards sustainable community development. Visitors to To achieve these objectives, Sri Lanka Tourist Board intends creating a special trust fund with the assistance of all major stakeholders as trustees. The stakeholders will include Board of Airlines, Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators, Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka, Tour Agents Association of Sri Lanka, Association of Small and Medium Enterprise in A broad and multifaceted communications strategy including an internet website, special brochures, and information boards in hotel lobbies and tourist shops will explain the plan, and highlighting tourist establishments that maintain high social and environmental standards.
MATTA leadership retains power Source: ETTR MALAYSIAN Association of Tour & Travel Agents (MATTA) held its 32nd annual general meeting and elections on June 30. 2nd
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Accessed |
|
