ASEAN Travel Forum 2013 edition , which will take from January 18 to 25 in Vientiane has been sold out and will be the right opportunity to showcase Laos to the travel community.
VIENTIANE- Over 1,000 exhibitors from across ASEAN have snapped up more than 500 booths, including 75 corporate booths at the next ASEAN Travel Forum in Vientiane. They will face 470 top quality buyers and 130 media which will be attending the event. According to TTG Events, the show organizer, the event will see 35% of new exhibitors and 57% of new buyers. Focus was particularly strong to attract buyers from emerging economies such as Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Nepal, Slovenia or Sri Lanka.
This is a new record for ATF which then has been completely sold out. Last minute bookers were in fact refused as hotels and flights were all full. Only remaining alternative solutions for late registration were then small guest houses in Vientiane and surroundings as well as flights to neighbouring Thailand, especially to Udon Thani International Airport, an hour and a half away from Vientiane.
Ministers and heads of NTOs will meet in the days preceding the opening of the travex, which starts officially on January 22. The ASEAN Tourism Conference (ATC) will take place on January 22 and will be themed, “Road Map for ASEAN: Fostering Sustainable Growth, Promoting EcoTourism.”
Luc Citrinot a French national is a freelance journalist and consultant in tourism and air transport with over 20 years experience. Based in Paris and Bangkok, he works for various travel and air transport trade publications in Europe and Asia.
