Years from now, defenders of the Lao cultural and natural environments may commemorate 18 June I 1993 as the birthdate of a historic public/private partnership. On that date, in Vientiane’s Lane Xang hotel, a new Lao organisation was launched to promote responsible tourism development and investments.

Calling itself the Lao Tourism Development Coalition, this ad hoc gathering of government representatives, local and foreign investors, and other interested residents was drawn together by common concerns. One of these concerns was the shared perception that Laos enjoys truly outstanding cultural and environmental resources - resources which can be enhanced or destroyed by tourism. Another was the concern that, in the absence of swift, resolute and coordinated government action to preserve these resources, irresponsible development and investment decisions are likely to be taken, with irreversible detrimental effects.

The idea for a Tourism Development Coalition had been generated by the February 1993 Vientiane Conference on Tourism Investment Opportunities. At that Conference. participants had recommended the establishment of a non-profit. "grassroots organisation to function:

1. As a forum for sustained tourism development cooperation between the public and private sectors, between Vientiane and the provinces, and between Lao and foreign parties:
2. As a sponsor of applied research, on Lao cultural and environmental tourism and tourism investments:
3. As an inspiration for informed tourism development decision-making by the appropriate governmental authorities and by investors.

The 18-19 June inaugural meeting of the new Coalition attracted 50 Lao and foreign participants. Nearly all of them had been active participants in the February Conference. All were committed to getting the Coalition quickly launched in order to help address a presenting agenda of immediate challenges - opportunities and threats - to responsible tourism development.

The government gave its explicit encouragement to the Coalition. conveyed by the meeting’s welcoming address delivered by Mr. Bouasone Bouphavanh, Deputy Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister. Mr. Bouasone reaffirmed the governments commitment to a middle path of tourism development, promoting small-scale, cultural and environmental tourism and avoiding the extremes of total exclusion and mass tourism. He invited the Coalition to mobilise public and private sector energies to attract -and insist upon - responsible tourism.

Equally essential to prospects for Coalition survival and impact was a pledge received from the Asia Foundation. The Foundation offered to consider grant financing for any thoughtful proposals for Coalition action, if coordinated by the National Tourism Authority.

At the inaugural meeting. nine possible topics for Coalition action were carefully considered:

1. Assisting the government to formulate policy guidelines for development of small-scale cultural and environmental tourism;
2. Assisting the government to develop a strategic plan for that same sectoral development, including foreign investment and international marketing components;
3. Generating public awareness of, and preparation for, the tourism impact of the April 1994 opening of the Mittaphab Bridge;
4. Applying to UNESCO to grant World heritage status for Luang Prabang;
5. Promoting ecotourism to help facilitate the establishment and affordable management of Lao National Parks, including Protected Areas;
6. Assisting the government to develop and implement a cultural tourism plan for Wat Phu;
7. Assisting the government to design and implement a plan for preservation and restoration of Vientiane’s architectural heritage as a cultural tourism resource;
8. Planning for the training of Lao tourism-industry professionals;
9. Encouraging the preservation and development of Lao arts and crafts to enhance the nation’s cultural tourism attractiveness.

Within this ambitious "menu" of possible topics for Coalition involvement, three seemed to stimulate the most intense interest and enthusiasm among the inaugural meeting participants. These were policy guidelines. eco-tourism linkages to Protected Areas and Vientiane’s architectural heritage.

The participants regarded formulation and publication of Tourism Development Policy Guidelines by the Lao Government as essential early steps to reaffirm the government’s fundamental commitment to small-scale, low impact cultural and environmental tourism. Like the 1991 Foreign Investment Policy Guidelines, this brief, widely disseminated statement of the government’s tourism development goals and guiding principles could serve at least four useful functions:

1. To establish and clarify the basic framework and direction for tourism development in Laos: what the government wants and where it is going;
2. To inform all key interest groups - including National, Provincial and Municipal Government agencies, domestic and foreign investors and developers, donor agencies. residents and tourists - of that basic framework and direction;
3. To send a clear message about welcome - and unwelcome - forms of tourism development and investment and tourist conduct;
4. To serve as a point-of-reference and foundation for all subsequent regulatory and project management decisions in the tourism sector.

Meeting members considered feasible for the government, under National Tourism Authority leadership and with Coalition assistance, to adopt and publish Tourism Development Policy Guidelines within calendar year 1993. A detailed timetable for this mobilisation was worked out in a small-group discussion at the meeting, with emphasis on broad institutional participation and consensus building.

Considerable attention was devoted at the meeting to practical opportunities and strategies for linking environmental or eco-tourism to the creation and maintenance of natural Protected Areas. Discussion of this topic focussed in particular on Phou Khou Kwai, an outstandingly beautiful forest very near Vientiane, which is scheduled for early dedication as a Protected Area. This forest is ideally suited for day trips and overnight visits, especially for hiking and perhaps also river rafting. Conservation experts with the Department of Forestry believe that the National Tourism Authority and tourism industry can make valuable contributions to the Area’s protection and appropriate development, and example, by studying market demand, helping to train tourist guides, and planning for tourist revenue allocation to sustain effective Area management. Both the Coalition and the Asia Foundation can bring appropriate resources to bear on these early initiatives.

Not surprisingly in light of current developments in Vientiane, this topic struck many meeting participants as uniquely critical for Coalition involvement. Some foreign investors are already demonstrating the compatibility between sound real-estate development and respect for Lao cultural heritage. Simultaneously, however, other projects threaten to demolish significant older structures and destroy the integrity of historic neighbourhoods. The meeting was informed that, despite much current outcry over these threats, no inventory of historically significant buildings yet exists, nor have any National or Municipal regulations been promulgated to encourage preservation and punish destruction.