The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to a grant of around 100 billion kip (US$10 million) to the Lao for developing sustainable tourism in eight provinces of Laos between 2009 and 2013.

The assistance will go to Siphandone tourism development project in Champassak province, wastewater treatment system construction and improvement project in Vangvieng district, Vientiane province, and the tourism development activities along the north-south economic corridor project (Luang Namtha and Bokeo, northern Laos)

The grant will also help develop community–based ecotourism in Bokeo, Sayaboury, Oudomsay, Houaphanh, Saravane and Vientiane provinces. In addition, the funds will be used to develop human resources in the tourism sector.

The Vice Chairman of the Lao National Tourism Administration, Mr Vang Rattanavong, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Feb 15, in Vientiane with the bank’s Mission Leader, Mr Alfredo Perdiguero.

In the past, ADB has provided loans for Laos in the Mekong Tourism Development Project worth US$10.5 million. The Bank off ered the grant to Laos after successfully completing the fi rst phase of Mekong Tourism Development Project, according to an LNTA press release.

Source: Mlao

The renovation of the 36km-long road leading to Konglor Cave in Hinboun district, Khammuan province, will allow the passage of all vehicles to the cave from May, said a senior official yesterday.

At present the road is still under construction, and larger vehicles have been unable to navigate the detour road for the past two months.

Visitors to the cave are recommended to take a small vehicle if they want to experience this amazing cave.

The Director of the road-building project, Mr Somchay Khanthasane, told Vientiane Times yesterday that workers are asphalting the road so it is closed to traffic. Road users must temporarily use a detour road instead.

Mr Somchay said that although the road will open in May, it might be necessary to close it in the rainy season this year if the construction of two new bridges is not complete.



“We are now putting down the first layer of asphalt. We will continue the work after the rainy season and the road will be in perfect condition by the end of this year,” he said.

At the moment it takes three hours to get to the cave after leaving main road No A8, as the path passes through rice fields and is very bumpy. In the wet season it's almost impossible to get there.



Once the renovated road is finished, it should take just under one hour, said Mr Somchay.

The new road is costing about US$4.5 million to build. The Asian Development Bank has lent the Lao government more than 80 percent of the required funds, according to the Head of the Khammuan provincial Tourism Administration, Mr Thayaphone Singthong .

He said the road upgrade is part of tourism development in the province.

“Tourism development is very important for people living near the cave and will help to contribute to poverty reduction,” he said.

The 7.5km-long cavern that has been earmarked as a tourist attraction was discovered in the 16th century under the leadership of the governor of Nalae district, now Nakai district.

In 1997, the government invited French experts to survey the area before declaring it an official tourist site in 2002.



Mr Thayaphone recalled that in 2002 only eight foreign visitors came to the cave, but this number had increased rapidly since then.

The cave is 30 metres wide and between 20 and 100 metres high and is located in the National Protected Forest Area of Hinboun Mountain.

More than 100 foreign visitors make the journey to the cave each month on average, he said.

Mr Thayaphone said that in the past the cave was not seen as a source of income for local people, but had now become an important money-earner for many in the area.

“Unspoiled natural destinations have the potential to attract more tourists to the province,” he said.

Community-based ecotourism services, including village home-stays and boat trips through the cave, are provided by local people who proudly keep local customs alive.

By Souksakhone Vaenkeo
Vientianetimes

Luang Namtha provincial authorities are upgrading the standards of tourism entrepreneurs and facilities to meet an expected increase in the number of visitors.

The provincial tourism department yesterday organised a training course on hotel, guesthouse and restaurant services for staff and managers of these businesses.

Luang Namtha Vice Governor Phanthong Phitthomma told Vientiane Times on Tuesday in a telephone interview that the course was an effort to improve services.

The province has 67 guesthouses and hotels, but this is not enough to meet current demands and many of them need to be improved.

The province has encouraged Chinese investors to build two six-storey hotels in the provincial capital, Mr Phanthong said.

Luang Namtha authorities project the number of tourists will increase steadily over the next two years; the renovated airport and the new R3 highway both officially open next month.

The highway passes through the northern provinces of Luang Namtha and Bokeo, and is part of an arterial route linking Kunming in China with Bangkok , Thailand .

Mr Phanthong said the province is developing its road network and tourist infrastructure to facilitate more convenient travel.

Luang Namtha province has many tourist attractions such as the Nam Ha National Protected Area, a well known forested area, and the drawcard of cultural tourism due to the diverse ethnic groups with their unique lifestyles and traditions.

In 2006, more than 50,000 tourists visited the province, coming mostly from New Zealand , followed by France , the USA and the United Kingdom .

The Deputy Director of the province's Tourism Department, Mr Sengchanh Pasuetsak, said yesterday that most tourists arrive by road from Vientiane and others come from Thailand via Bokeo province on highway R3.

It is expected that tourist arrivals could rise to 80,000 by 2010, as the popularity of the province is just beginning to increase.


By Manichanh Pansivongsay