After last year’s well-received first event in Luang Prabang, the second Sustainable Tourism Solutions Expo (STSE) will take place this week in Vientiane on 27-28 September 2019 at the Crowne Plaza. The STSE is the region’s leading specialized fair for the tourism industry to celebrate, explore, and exhibit the latest trends, insights, and technology in sustainable tourism and hospitality practices.
Fifty-four exhibitors from Laos and the Mekong region will showcase their products, services, and initiatives over the two-day event, which is free to attend. These companies represent several categories relevant to the theme of the event: eco-friendly hotel supplies, handicrafts, organic food, initiatives and projects, as well as responsible tours and accommodation.
The exhibitors will introduce business owners to environmentally-friendly cleaning products, toiletries, and plastic-free packaging. They will offer locally-produced substitutes for imported food and beverages. Several booths will focus on technology like wastewater treatment systems, solar energy, and water conservation equipment. Importantly, enterprises that attend the expo will learn how their business can benefit from supporting and contributing to community development and social initiatives.
A new addition to this year’s agenda is production demonstrations. On the second day of the expo, 11 different companies and organizations will make individual presentations about their products and services to interested attendees. These include: Asia One Resort Supply, Soap4Life Foundation, Epurtek, Pankham Jampa Holdings, Saoban Handicrafts, Green Discovery, RefillMyBottle, Mai Savanh Lao, Thavixok Rattan House, AgroAsie Group, and Bamboo Lao.
One of the most enriching parts of the expo will be its symposia program, bringing together renowned thinkers from the region to discuss topics that matter greatly to the tourism industry. On Friday 27th September, visitors will be able to attend three symposia: “Policy Mechanisms for Plastic Reduction in Tourism in Southeast Asia,” “Human Resources Development and Job Creation in the Tourism and Hospitality Sector,” and “Towards a Circular Economy in Food: The Role of the Tourism Industry.” On Saturday 28th September, the seminar “Grow Your Business with Great Communication” will be held, as well as a workshop entitled “How Sustainability Helps Accommodation Businesses Save Money,” for which pre-registration is required.
The second Sustainable Tourism Solutions Expo is organized by the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism, with support from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Lao Association of Travel Agents (LATA), the Lao Hotel and Restaurant Association (LHRA), the Small and Medium Enterprises Service Centre (SSC) operated by the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Department of Small and Medium Enterprise Promotion (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) and the Regional Economic Integration of Laos into ASEAN – Trade and Entrepreneurship Development (RELATED) Project of the Lao-German Development Cooperation.
For a complete list of exhibitors, a full schedule, or details about symposia, please see the website of the Sustainable Tourism Solutions Expo: www.stse.la.
