VIENTIANE: Champasak authorities are drawing up a comprehensive tourism programme for Visit Laos-China Year 2027, aiming to attract more visitors from China and other countries.
Officials from the provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and the Tourism Marketing and Promotion Department of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism met recently to discuss the programme.
The meeting was chaired by the Director General of the Tourism Marketing and Promotion Department, Manisakhone Thammavongxay, and Champasak Provincial Party Committee member Taydavanh Keophilavan. Officials from Savannakhet and Salavan provinces, along with tour operators, also attended.
Discussions centred on planning and strengthening cooperation between the public and private sectors to improve tourism, as well as the best ways to cater to the expected influx of visitors. Participants reviewed a draft of the programme, with events scheduled to take place in both Laos and China.
Proposed activities in Laos include the opening ceremony of Visit Laos-China Year 2027, a cultural and tourism week, a food festival, cultural performances, and a Laos-China photo exhibition.
Plans also include inviting Chinese influencers and media representatives to visit Laos for promotional activities, while Chinese-language promotional materials and videos will be produced for distribution through Lao and Chinese media.
Other proposed activities include a Laos-China road rally, activities along the Laos-China Railway, cultural and tourism promotion events, and improvements to tourism information systems and other visitor services.
Planned activities in China include the closing ceremony of Visit Laos-China Year 2027, a cultural and tourism week, a food festival, cultural performances, and a Laos-China photo exhibition.
The draft programme also includes B2B meetings, seminars on tourism development, promotion and management, training to strengthen the capacity of Lao tourism personnel, participation in international tourism exhibitions in China, and cultural and tourism promotion activities under the “Ni Hao Lao Wo” (Hello Laos) campaign.
Meeting, participants put forward other ideas, including organising more local festivals and food festivals, developing new tourism products, promoting green tourism, improving service quality, convenience and safety for visitors, and expanding digital and social media promotion.
The meeting agreed that all parties would continue to refine the programme, assign responsibilities, and strengthen coordination to support the success of the Visit Laos-China Year 2027 campaign in Champasak province. - Vientiane Times/ANN
