Laos wins international tourism award

The Laos Tourism Administration (LTA) has won a tourism prize out of 339 applicants from the Asia Pacific region.

The award was presented on September 28 when the Lao delegation attended the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Travel Mart 2007, held in Bali , Indonesia from September 20-29; the LTA won a Gold Award, according to a press release.

Some 27 awards were also given to another 23 applicants from organisations and individuals who achieved in tourism; 24 of the awards are Gold Awards and four are Grand Awards.

At least 800 people took part in the awards presentation ceremony, supported by the PATA and the Macao Tourism Agency.

The prize was awarded Laos because of its achievements in training tour guides at the World Heritage sites of Luang Prabang and Wat Phou, Champassak.

The LTA has trained its tour guides under the Mekong Tourism Development project, supported by the UNESCO and Macao Tourism Agency. The training courses have focused on raising awareness of the importance of protecting world heritage in the Mekong region, which is the location of ten cultural and historical world heritage sites.

This year, the LTA has received two prizes, including the Equator Prize for the ecotourism project in Namha, the National Forestry Conservation Area in Luang Namtha province.

(Latest Update October 15, 2007)

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