Laos, Cambodia seek to bolster shared tourism
 
Laos and Cambodia have pledged to strengthen cooperation in tourism and to continue to promote tourism with an emphasis on safe travel during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Mrs Suanesavanh Vignaket, on Tuesday confirmed Laos’ willingness to foster tourism when signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Laos and Cambodia on the continued strengthening of cooperation in the development of natural resources in the tourism sector. 

The MOU also aims to improve the standards of tourism personnel to ensure greater efficiency, as well as attract more investment in tourism development to drive the resumption of tourism between Laos and Cambodia.
“We are preparing to connect the two countries’ tourist sectors by looking at ways to provide quick and convenient modes of travel,” Mrs Suanesavanh said.
Under the agreement, the two countries will share information and experiences concerning Covid-19, the response of their respective tourism industries to the pandemic, and their plans for renewed tourism programmes.
The two sides also reviewed plans to promote shared tourism and evaluated the results of past bilateral cooperation in this field.
A Cambodian representative said his government would jointly run a tourism information campaign in Laos for local and foreign tourists, to support the government’s goal to promote tourism and attract more local and overseas investment in the industry.
Laos has vast potential for the development of tourist attractions and offers incentives to boost investment in the sector.
The Cambodian official said the MOU paved the way for the creation of a tourism consulting company that would provide information and technical assistance to ensure a high standard of tourism in Laos.
Laos and Cambodia will also encourage the development of natural resources in the tourism sector and build academic capacity through the provision of seminars and forums.
In addition, they will support reciprocal field trips and official visits by government officials and private sector representatives, including media personnel, with the aim of building confidence in the growth of a shared and sustainable tourism industry.
The two countries will also set up technical team to support the implementation of the agreement. This team will spell out procedures and programmes and make recommendations on collaborative activities to achieve the desired results.
A tourism technical team will review the results of the implementation of the agreement to ensure that the outcomes match the set goals.

By Phetphoxay Sengpaseuth
(Latest Update January 19, 2021)