Luang Prabang encourages foreign investment in hotel and restaurants
Luang Prabang encourages foreign investment in hotel and restaurants
Luang Prabang province plans to continue to encourage foreign investors in the tourism industry, especially in relation to hotels, restaurants and tour companies, according to government officials.
The move aims to enhance service quality and standards and respond to the increasing number of tourist arrivals in the province.
We have welcomed all foreign investors to invest in hotels and restaurants in Luang Prabang, provincial Information, Culture and Tourism Department Deputy Director Dr Soudaphone Khomthavong told foreign and local media.
Dr Souaphone was addressing members of the press during the AirAsia Kuala Lumpur-Luang Prabang inaugural flight and press conference on Monday.
So far, there have been a large number of foreign investors from various countries, especially European countries, investing in restaurants and four and five-star hotels in Luang Prabang.
Meanwhile most of the two and three-star hotels were invested in by local people as family businesses, she added.
There are 76 hotels including two 4-star and five 3-star hotels, 317 guesthouses, 286 food shops and restaurants, and 76 travel agencies in the province.
However the province has reserved guesthouse investmen t for local people only, according to the relevant law, she said.
There were many investment projects by Malaysians in Laos but they haven't seen many Malaysian investors coming to invest in Luang Prabang so it is hoped that the newly introduced direct flights by AirAsia from Kuala Lumpur, will change that situation, Dr Soudaphone said.
Luang Prabang has much potential in terms of tourism, which has played a significant role in the development of the province.
According to the provincial Tourism Office, tourist arrivals to Luang Prabang are forecast to reach 700,000 by 2020, up from 500,000 at present.
Luang Prabang has 108 natural attractions, 86 cultural tourist sites and another 34 places of historic interest.
The town was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995, among 1,007 World Heritage Sites in 161 countries worldwide.
Luang Prabang was awarded a gold medal after being voted World's Top City by readers of the British travel magazine Wanderlust in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015
The province aims to develop Luang Prabang as a modern, sustainable and provide quality tourism experiences.
In order to achieve this vision, we need to improve service quality and basic infrastructure in the province, Dr Soudaphone said.
Luang Prabang is currently improving basic infrastructure to encourage more people to visit, such as the expansion of the town and the construction of the road linking Hongsa district in Xayaboury province to Xieng Man village in Chomphet district.
In addition, the province has received financial support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to improve tourism infrastructure in Pak-ou and Chomphet districts.
We are now designing a 11km-long road to access Pak-ou and improving the walkway, tourism information centre, and tourism demonstration centre linked to local villages in Chomphet district, she added.
