Laos to host Mekong investment meeting

More than 200 travel executives, investors and stakeholders are expected to attend. The objective of the summit is to encourage investment in tourism projects in the Mekong river region. Up to 200 delegates will discuss the profile of the Mekong region as an expanding tourism destination. The emphasis will be on linking tourism investors with business opportunities that will benefit local communities. The summit, hosted by the Lao National Tourism Administration, will recommend action to overcome obstacles to growth. Bangkok Airways, Amadeus Asia Pacific, Best Western Asia, Diethelm Travel Asia and Incentive House Asia sponsor the event, which is supported by Lao Airlines, SNV (a Dutch development organisation), the Asian Development Bank and the Pacific Asia Travel Association. PATAvice-president of development, Peter Semone said: "Cooperation between countries in the Mekong region has come a long way in the past ten years. "We now want to encourage the private sector to take up the reins and drive responsible tourism growth in the Mekong region. "The investment summit in Luang Prabang is the first step in that direction." Major features of the event will include:
user-friendly documents detailing tourism investment procedures
presentations from entrepreneurs profiling investment success stories in the region
case studies of pioneering community-private sector partnerships
breakout sessions on improving the investment environment
Mekong-region country booths. Investors and delegates seeking further information about the summit should visit www.me kongtourisminvestmentsu mmit.com. Or e-mail: lalford@incentive.net.au.