The UNESCO Heritage town of Luang Prabang in Laos will once again host a film festival, previously known as the Luang Prabang Film Festival (LPFF).

With a rich history of connecting regional filmmakers, supporting the Lao domestic film industry, and presenting an annual free festival, LPFF has been a force in the region for more than 12 years.

Organizers have recently acquiesced to a name change in order to continue to produce this year’s event, scheduled for 8 – 11 December, and will move forward using only the iconic blue chair to identify the festival.

As always, official selections for the annual program were made by filmmakers and critics from across Southeast Asia and represent a curated selection of the finest contemporary films from their respective countries. By working with talented curators with an inside understanding of their communities’ film scenes, LPFF annually presents a unique program that consistently delivers some of the strongest voices from across the region.

Presenting Partners of the festival this year include Lao Telecom, The Asia Foundation, M Money, and Beerlao; the event is produced in collaboration with the Luang Prabang Department of Culture, Information, and Tourism. Longtime partners Avani+ Luang Prabang and Sofitel Luang Prabang are supporting the event again, as well.

Of special interest this year is a pair of films with roots in the LPFF Talent Lab — both Martika Ramirez Escobar and Kavich Neang joined the inaugural lab in 2016, delivered in conjunction with the erstwhile Tribeca Film Institute. This year sees their finished projects, Leonor Will Never Die and White Building, respectively, on screens in Luang Prabang.

And a pair of Lao productions will premiere at the festival this year — Sonepasith Phanphila’s Absence of Sound, made in Luang Prabang itself, and Phanumad Disattha’s short film, Fly Sandy Fly, presented by T Plus during the festival’s opening ceremony, which starts at 6 pm on 8 December.

As always, all screenings are free and open to the public.

Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2022/11/21/film-festival-in-luang-prabang-announces-official-lineup/

On 18 November the Festival France-Laos 2022 will open its doors for a series of ten exceptional events honoring the richness of cultural creation and the precious nature of intercultural dialogue.

For this first edition, the choice made is that of effervescence. Classical music, pop rock, world music, cinema, puppet show, theater, visual arts, and all artistic disciplines mingle and meet.test

The same goes for the artists: internationally renowned pianists Maxime Zecchini and David Bismuth will share the stage with the Vientiane Chamber Orchestra, the young singer Sun will respond to the words of Blackeyes and NU innovation, the students of the National Institute of Fine Arts will pay tribute to Marc Leguay and Thiane Khamvongsa to the inevitable Molière.

Just like the work of the famous French comedian and dramaturge, born 400 years ago, who saw in theater and comedy a path to education for all, the Festival France-Laos is also a place of discovery, learning, encounters, and inspiration that enables artists to share their worldview with their spectators.

Under Tô’s gaze, the baskets of sticky rice will become the central characters of the new adventures of Khaô Niew’s puppets. Bruno le Matelot will portray the details of his daily life in Laos with colors and imagination. The director Kiyé Simon Luang will rediscover the path of his roots through his cinematographic work and will present for the first time in Laos his film Good Bye Mr Wong.

The Festival France-Laos 2022 will close this first year of festival by celebrating the exemplary cooperation between the Lao Fashion Week, the famous French fashion school ESMOD and the French Embassy in Laos which allows each year several young Laotian designers to benefit from a training program of excellence in France.

Because, whether you are an actor or a spectator, creation is not only a synonym of art and culture. It is also about personal and professional development, new economic opportunities, and strong values such as education for all, sustainable development and gender equality, all in line with the official objectives of the Laos government.

Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2022/11/11/a-10-day-festival-to-celebrate-the-cultural-dialogue-between-france-laos/

Hotels and restaurants in Laos have upgraded their standards to provide an even better service for tourists during high season, says an industry representative.

“We are ready to welcome and serve tourists who plan to visit Laos during this high season,” said the Lao Hotel and Restaurant Association President, Mr. Pakasith Chanthapanya ahead of the upcoming That Luang festival.

Laos has been recently seeing an uptick of tourists pouring in from around the world following the government’s order to reopen the country in May 2022, after two years of living under international Covid-19 restriction policies.

Mr. Pakasith informed that many hotels and restaurants utilized the pandemic period to train their staff and improve service quality to prepare for the return of tourists once the restrictions were lifted. He also urged other businesses in the hospitality industry to follow suit as they form the backbone of the Lao Tourism industry.

He added, “Now that the situation concerning Covid-19 has improved, we are starting to see international tourists traveling again. Laos is one of the top destinations for tourists.” Laos has also made it to travel lists curated by prestigious magazines like National Geographic and Wanderlust.

According to the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism, the number of foreign tourists visiting Laos grew from nearly 36,000 in May to almost 172,000 in June, bringing the total to roughly 212,000 in the first half of this year. They also estimated that approximately one million visitors would visit Laos in 2022. So far, more than half the tourists visiting Laos have been from Thailand, 30 percent from Vietnam, and 10 percent from other countries.

Mr. Pakasith said that travelling on the high-speed Laos-China railway would remain a primary attraction for visitors from neighboring countries, particularly Thailand. He was also positive that once China eases its international travel rules, Laos can expect to welcome numerous Chinese tourists, which will benefit local hotels and restaurants.

Lastly, he voiced his belief that Lao business owners, with their extensive knowledge and skilled workforce, will provide excellent service to foreign tourists.

“Generally, Lao people are kind and generous; this is the strength of our service sector and makes tourists feel at home,” he said.

Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2022/11/04/lao-hotels-restaurants-are-all-set-to-welcome-tourists-in-the-high-season/

National Geographic, one of the most widely-read and respected magazines in the world, has selected Laos as one of the 25 most breathtaking places one should visit in 2023.

Laos is the only ASEAN country featured in the ‘annual list of superlative destinations’ and it is placed under the header of ‘Community: Where conservation benefits everyone’ with specific experiences in other countries like Greece, the US, Canada, and Ghana.

“Board a new high-speed train that makes lesser known regions of Laos accessible to tourists and brings economic opportunities to locals,” says the article about the Laos-China Railway whose bullet trains can clock up to 160 km/hr.

Through the Laos Travel Guide on its website, the publication introduces Laos and its numerous travel destinations to readers and travelers.

“Laos is Southeast Asia’s only landlocked country, yet, paradoxically, life revolves around water. Running the length of the mainly mountainous country is the mighty Mekong River, which floods rice fields, creates vital fish habitat, and serves as the main highway and water source.”

“Villages clustered along the river regularly host backpackers drawn to the country’s exquisite French colonial architecture and stunning palaces and temples, but, the rugged terrain keeps Laos blissfully off the typical tourist trail,” says National Geographic.

Also this week, a prominent UK-based travel magazine has cited Laos as one of the 20 best places to visit in January 2023. It is the top ASEAN country on the list, ranking sixth, while Vietnam was featured in the No.8 position.

Laos has already seen over one million tourists this year, including 644,756 international visitors. The government expects to attract at least 900,000 foreign visitors in 2022, which could lead to over USD 218 million in revenue.

Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2022/10/27/national-geographic-lists-laos-as-breathtaking-travel-destination-for-2023/

Laos has seen an increasing number of visitors traveling to the country ever since it removed its travel restrictions in May following the Covid-19 crisis.

Laos recorded over a million tourists traveling in the country between January to September, resulting in a 39 percent rise in visitors compared to last year. A total of 644,756 international visitors are also included in the figures, primarily from Thailand and Vietnam.

Statistics have shown that the average visitor on a group tour usually stays in the country for 2.5 days and spends roughly USD 45 per day. On the other hand, people on individual trips, stay for 7.9 days on average and spend around USD 83 daily.

Tourism authorities are expecting to receive over USD 225 million in revenue from local and international tourists this year. They are also increasing their effort to revitalize tourism-related businesses and generate income to reduce poverty levels.

The Tourism Management Department of the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism held a meeting on Tuesday, to discuss the current situation regarding accommodation and restaurant facilities being offered around popular tourist destinations.

The meeting saw attendance from the department’s Director General, Ms. Darany Phommavongsa, who represented Vientiane and the provinces of Vientiane, Xaysomboun, Borikhamxay, Khammuan and Savannakhet, and other interested parties.

Ms. Darany informed that various challenges must be dealt with, primarily related to immigration procedures at border crossings, transport, accommodation, and food to ensure a seamless stay for travelers.

The discussion also looked at ways tourism can be modernized and streamlined in the country, in accordance with green and sustainable development targets.

The government is hopeful of attracting 900,000 foreign visitors this year, which could generate over USD 218 million in revenue. It could also help Laos to restore its foreign currency reserves to an extent, which is vital for importing essential goods.

The Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism have developed the Lao Tourism Development Strategic Plan for 2021-2025, which is in line with the government’s policy of promoting the country’s natural, cultural, historical, and agricultural attractions to strengthen ‘green tourism’ and its sustainability.

Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2022/10/20/over-a-million-tourists-visit-laos-this-year/