Pro-poor tourism development in Viengxay, Laos : current state and future prospects

Abstract

Since the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) first opened its doors to foreign tourists in the early 1990s, the number of tourists to the country has increased significantly. However, the Lao PDR remains one of the poorest countries in the world and tourism is seen by the Laotian government and by non-governmental organizations active in the country as a tool to alleviate poverty. Nonetheless, the Laotian government has until now lacked the financial means and know-how to enact a concerted and effective plan to use tourism to promote poverty alleviation in the country. The paper investigates the current state of pro-poor tourism development in Viengxay and aims to gain an impression of the actual and potential roles and motivations of various stakeholders within the endeavour of tourism for poverty alleviation. The paper concludes with an analysis of the opportunities and barriers to pro-poor tourism in Viengxay, in which the improvement of linkages between the private sector and local development is an important aspect.