Phim Hay 360s

Photo: VIP bus from Vientiane to Pakse

A bus company operating a service exclusively for tourists opened on Tuesday, aiming to guarantee standards of security and services.

The Phanthavong Tourist Transport Cooperation Company was officially opened by Lao National Tourism Administration (LNTA) President Mr Somphong Mongkhonvilay on February 26 in Phonhong district, Vientiane province.

“The company hopes to ensure tourists can be confident about the standard of Lao transportation services,” Mr Somphong said at the opening ceremony.

He believes that the company will actively promote tourism in Laos , and will bring income into the country. “ Vientiane province has various natural, historical and cultural tourist sites, which attracted 340,000 tourists from around the world last year,” Vientiane National Tourism Authority Office Director Outhong Phanthavong said.

He said these figures would increase in the coming years, and the Phanthavong Company would play an important role in tourist transport services in the future.

“We have invested more than 2.6 billion kip in the venture. Initially we will provide transport from the capital to various parts of Vientiane province, with the aim of expanding to Luang Prabang province, the southern provinces and border crossings with Vietnam and Thailand in the future,” company President Mrs Chanthachone Phanthavong said.

The company will sell tickets through hotels and guesthouses in Vientiane . Passengers will also be able to purchase tickets at the bus stop, located on the Mekong riverside next to the Horkang on Fa Ngum Street .

The company reported that all of their buses will carry an official LNTA sticker to assure passengers that the company is following the laws and regulations regarding tourism promotion. The company will initially provide seven buses to serve tourist needs.

“There are many buses transporting tourists to other provinces, but we hope to offer better facilities and aim to please customers with our service standards,” Mrs Chanthachone said.

By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
Vientianetimes

(KPL) This year, the number of tourist arrivals in the country has soared to 1.4 million, up over the previous year’s. The majority of tourists are from neighbouring countries, especially Thailand.

According to the Lao National Tourism Administration, the number of tourist arrivals in 2007 stood at 1.4 million, up from 1.2 million in 2006.
Mr Soukkaseum Phothilad, Deputy-President of the Lao National Tourism Administration (NTA) last week disclosed that this year the Lao PDR was able to earn at least US$ 200 million from the tourism sector.

He said that the major destinations were Vientiane Capital with 800,000 arrivals, followed by central Savannakhet province with 192,000 arrivals and Luang Prabang province with 151,700.
An NTA official said that the rise was attributed to the abundance in ethnic minorities, natural beauty, the world heritage status of tourist sites, archaeologies and the hospitality of Lao people.