Tourism officials, tour operators complete training in China

Thirty-six tourism officials and tour operators from Laos completed a training programme in China last week that is part of measures to improve and develop human resources in the tourism sector.

According to a report from the Institute of Mass Media, Culture and Tourism under the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, the 5th China-Laos officials and tourism enterprise executives exchange and training programme was held in Yunnan province of China during June 12-23.

The programme was organised by the Yunnan College of Tourism with the support of the China National Tourism Administration and Yunnan Provincial Tourism Development Commission.

The Lao participants learnt about different types of tourism, how to create tourism products and methods to attract tourists through advertisements on natural, cultural and historical tourist sites.

The participants also went on a study tour to the tourism cities of Kunming, Lijiang, Shangri-La and Dali. This was to help them understand how they could develop tourism in their country.

The training programme in tourism provided a good opportunity to boost understanding and create friendship between the two countries. It also helped to develop and upgrade human resources in the tourism sector and to boost the abilities of personnel in line with a cooperation agreement between both sides.

The training was also part of measures to prepare to receive Chinese and international tourists in Laos, which is attracting more visitors day by day, and to create greater satisfaction among them. Once a favourable impression is created among tourists, they will return to the country again and again and also advertise the country via word-of-mouth.

The Yunnan College of Tourism invite more Lao tourism officials and tourism operators to come for training to boost cooperation in the tourism sector.

Laos hopes to receive 5 million tourists during Visit Laos Year. According to a 2017 report from the Tourism Development Department, more than 3.8 million tourists visited the country last year, generating revenues of more than US$648 million.

During the first three months of 2018, Laos received more than 1 million tourists.