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Recently acknowledged for its remarkable contribution to tourism by PATA Grand Award, the Lao National Institute of Tourism Hospitality (LANITH) can be proud of its first achievements in the small Mekong country…
VIENTIANE- Recently acknowledged for its remarkable contribution to tourism by PATA Grand Award, the Lao National Institute of Tourism Hospitality (LANITH) can be proud of its first achievements in the small Mekong country. Set up in 2010, LANITH benefits from a 20 million Euros budget shared at 50-50 by both Luxemburg and the Laotian government. Its main activity is according to Peter Semone, Chief Technical Advisor at Luxemburg Agency for Development Cooperation (Lux Dev) and in charge of the Lao project. The main objective of LANITH to provide good qualification levels for Laos tourism working force. “Laos needs to raise the quality of its tourism and especially of the qualification of its people. This is vital if the country wants to compete efficiently with other ASEAN countries after the establishment of the Integrated Economic Community in 2015. Otherwise, Laos might lose its working force to other nationalities in the region,” he explains. Laos tourism revenues currently reaches US$ 400 million. “With almost the same number of foreign travellers, Cambodia succeeds to generate tourism revenues of US$ two billion. There is definitely scope for improvement here,” estimates Peter Semone.
LANITH acts on two fronts: “we work on a software and a hardware side: the software is all about educating and training people while the hardware is dealing with proper training infrastructures,” adds Semone. While LANITH ‘software’ side shows already progress, the agency feels stalled on the ‘hardware’ front.
LANITH already sent 18 Laotians to Singapore, France and Luxemburg to become teachers. They have been back already and are due to start our education program from next August. We create a standard qualification with a diploma acknowledged and accepted by other countries in the region. “Tourism courses will comprise a concentrated two-week teaching block to be sure that people remain committed,” adds Semone. Each course will welcome some 15 to 20 students with a target to provide a teaching to over 350 locals. “We consider ourselves as a ‘factory’ for skilled people. We want to help creating a new generation of English-fluent, empowered, responsible Laotian in the tourism field. We also launched a “passport to success” which rewards anyone interested to get a certificate matching ASEAN tourism standards. We provide a 3 to 4 days training with a passport giving Bronze, Silver or Gold marks according to the achievements of each participants. We have already issued 400 passports,” tells Peter Semone.
Then, there is the “hardware”, the most delicate part of LANITH ambitious education program. LANITH has been working since 2010 into the creation of a campus comprising a school but also a hotel in the heart of the city, along the Mekong River. “It is a € 40 million project with both Laos and Luxemburg providing each 10 million and the rest coming from private investors. The government already provides us with the land,” describes LANITH technical advisor. The 8,100 m2 will encompasses an eco-friendly school with classrooms, an IT-Lab, a training kitchen, mock training guestrooms and meeting facilities. A restaurant and a 4-star hotel would be constructed next to the school to provide a self-funding source of revenues.
“The most important is not the school construction but to secure its funding over the next decades. Operating the centre will cost US$ 500,000 per year if LANITH School wants to maintain its high standards. And we need for this an independent structure comprising for example a Board of Trustees with a CEO and an administration board watching the right use of the funds,” says Peter Semone. So far, discussions continue between the Government and LANITH about the establishment of the future board. But in-between, it is further delaying the construction of the school and its operational activity.
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.
