The ASEAN-Japan Centre (AJC) held an event to promote tourism in Lao PDR to young travel enthusiasts.
The event venue was decorated with Laotian items to bring the atmosphere of Lao PDR, and basic travel information, major tourist areas, and specific model plans were presented in a talk event format. The event was conducted with the assistance of “TabiMUSE”, a travel media outlet for women who love to travel overseas.
Highlights
- The AJC staff introduced the charm of Lao PDR, basic information about the country and travel, key areas, and the appeal of food.
- Ms. Chihiro Mizuno, the person in charge of covering the Japanese prominent travel guidebook “Globe-Trotter” Lao PDR edition, introduced a model plan based on Luang Prabang and shared her personal recommendations of hotels and cafes.
- The venue was arranged to evoke a Southeast Asian ambiance, using Laotian textiles and tip khao (bamboo baskets for sticky rice). The space was created for participants to share a simulated Laotian experience on social media, with the addition of a photo spot.
- Participants enjoyed drinks and sweets inspired by Lao PDR, also distributed fresh flowers arranged in a tip khao as a souvenir, in an effort of reminding participants of Lao PDR even after the event.
Takeaways
- By communicating the appeal of traveling to Lao PDR to general public, the event deepened participants’ understanding of Lao PDR and promoted the desire to travel.
- By targeting the travel-loving community (84.2% of survey respondents traveled abroad in the past two years), it is anticipated that countries not typically visited by Japanese individuals will be considered for future travel.
- By inviting active social media users as participants, the information about Lao PDR obtained at the event was widely broadened. This was accomplished through User Generated Content (UGC) from the participants’ perspective.
- Travel content influencers were arranged to participate in the event to ensure post-event dissemination about tourism in Lao PDR.
Voices of Participants
- In the post-event survey, 100% of respondents said they wanted to go to Lao PDR.
- 94.7% of respondents were satisfied with the event.
- 89.5% of respondents look forward to enjoying unexplored areas when traveling to Lao PDR.
- Other positive comments about Lao PDR as a tourist destination were made (see below).
“I frequently visit Asia and have been thinking about a trip to Lao PDR. This event provided insights into recommended locations and photos, making Lao PDR a considerable option for my next trip.”
“Information from a girls’ trip perspective, trendy spots, and hotel distances were particularly helpful.”
“Lao PDR, which was unnoticed as a travel destination, was more peaceful and safer than I had imagined, and it became a destination of interest because it was a place where I could go more easily than I thought.”
“Southeast Asia is easy to travel to, and many countries there are chosen as travel destinations, even for first-time travellers. I hope that Lao PDR will also be one of them, and that we can spread information about it!”
About the event
WHERE TO NEXT? The Most Desired Destination Now: Lao PDR
Date: March 16, 2024 (Saturday)
Time: 13:00-14:30
Participants: 29 participants
Speakers: Naoko Fujikawa, Tourism Exchange Team, Japan-ASEAN Centre
Chihiro Mizuno, writer for “Globe Trotter Travel guidebook” Lao PDR edition
Moderator: Nanami Nonomura, Producer of tabimuse
