Savannakhet welcomed international and regional tourists at its first-ever Monkey Feeding Festival which was held on March 24, in the province’s Champhone District.
Alongside feeding various fruits like pumpkins, apples, eggplants, carrots, cucumbers to the monkeys, tourists and local people alike were able to enjoy the stunning scenery of the Sui Basin and walk around the “Dong Ling” monkey forest near the Xe Champhone wetlands, home to around 500 to 3000 primates.
The festival’s opening ceremony was attended by Mrs. Lingthong Saengtawan, Deputy Governor of Savannakhet Province, and Chairman of the event. In her remarks, she said that the event aims to restore and promote tourism in the province and bolster its economy.
The ceremony also featured an orchestrated performance of literary arts in the form of dances and songs performed by artists from the district to showcase the wonders of Champhone.
Additionally, the event saw the attendance of several officials, including Mr. Khamvisay Phuiyavong, Head of the Provincial Publicity Board, Dr. Phulamphon Sihavong, Mayor of Champhon, and Mr. Phosisoy Kuthilat, Head of the Press, Culture, and Tourism Department of the Province, as well as leaders of the province and district, and the public.
The Deputy Governor’s speech highlighted the province’s plans to gradually grow Champhone into a tourist town in terms of highlighting its nature, history, culture, and agriculture. She also mentioned that many other parts of Laos are starting to develop and raise their standards for tourism, as the country wants to promote 2023-2024 as a year of tourism.
