LAOS FAVORITE CULTURAL AND WORLD BEST TOURIST DESTINATION FOR 2013 ATTRACTED 40 INTERNATIONAL HOTEL`S

 LAOS-World Best Tourist Destination for 2013. Ceremony held in Vientiane.

After being elected WORLD BEST TOURIST DESTINATION FOR 2013 and Favorite Cultural Destination in 2013 Laos has become a beacon of tourism in the Indochina region.  

Already 40 hotels, including five international chains, are scheduled to open in Laos over the next five years as the country becomes a more popular tourist destination.

Yang Fu Ning, general manager of Don Chan Palace, a luxury hotel in Vientiane, said international brands Ramada, InterContinental, Crown Plaza, Sofitel and Marriott were set to open hotels in the capital by 2019.

Three global brands - Mercure, Ibis and Best Western - have already opened their doors in Vientiane, and one regional brand has entered the World Heritage Site of Luang Prabang to cash in the World Best Tourist Destination status of the country.

Furthermore, 25-30 three- and four-star hotels are set to open in the capital, with some in other tourist cities.

In the first year after receiving World`s Favorite Cultural Destination " we registered 3.7 million arrivals last year, generating income of US$600 million.

The government aims for 3.9 million tourists this year. 


The number of arrivals should reach 10 million within five years but we need another success in WORLD BEST TOURIST DESTINATION competition to consolidate our status.
 

The number of American and European tourists has significantly increased in recent years, after the European Council on Tourism and Trade accolade according to informations from Minister of Culture, Informations and Tourism leaded by European Academician Bosengkham Vongdara.

Currently, seven foreign airlines, including Thai Airways International, AirAsia and Bangkok Airways, and two local carriers are operating in and out Laos. 
Some of these airlines run charter flights during high season.

European Council on Tourism and Trade named Laos the "World's Best Tourist Destination for 2013", which put the country on the global tourism map especially for its rich history, culture, traditions and natural beauty.

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