Lao Airlines expands ticketing services abroad
Lao Airlines expands ticketing services abroad
Lao Airlines has entered into a new partnership with ST World Group to sell the airline's tickets overseas.
The agreement provides a platform for service expansion in the region and offers more buying locations to potential tourists.
The sales agency agreement was signed on Tuesday at Lao Airlines Head Office in Vientiane between the company's Vice President, Mr Sengpraseuth Mathouchanh, and ST World Group Managing Director, Mr Ryoichi Suzuki. Officials from both sides were in attendance.
The agreement will be extremely beneficial for the airline and also for the tourism industry in the country as customers will be able to purchase Lao Airlines tickets abroad in ST World branches.
Under the agreement, ST World Group, who are headquartered in Japan, will invest in a Lao Airlines branch office in Tokyo and Fukuoka prefectures and this could open the way for future Japan Airlines flights to Laos.
The ST World Group has established ticketing branches in different countries around the world. Some of the branches are located in countries that already have direct flights to and from Laos.
This new sales agency service will help increase visitor numbers and generate more profit for the airline, said Mr Sengpraseuth.
People in Japan wishing to visit Laos c an arrive via Bangkok, Singapore or Vietnam where flights connect to Vientiane and the tickets for Japanese visitors will be cheaper as a result of the agreement, he said.
This cooperation will also provide a way for more Japanese businessmen to reach Laos.
It also means that training will take place for Lao Airlines staff and business operations will improve as electronic ticket selling will be expanded.
Lao Airlines will provide training for ST Group's technical personnel and ST World Group will monitor airline staff as well as organise aviation and pilot exchanges. The courses will start at the beginning of August.
To guarantee the agreement's implementation, ST World Group presented US$50,000 to Lao Airlines.
This cooperation is also set to develop the airline's services and preparedness to integrate with the Asean Economic Community in 2015 and those within the Lao business sector are being encouraged to seek ways to help the government strengthen this drive.
Currently, Lao Airlines has international flights to Bangkok and Chiang Mai in Thailand, Singapore, Siem Reap in Cambodia, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam, and Kunming and Guangzhou in China.
vientiane times
