Premier Partner Program Prepared by Bernie Rosenbloom Content Editor, EcotourismLaos

1. EcotourismLaos.com Premier Partner Program Prepared by Bernie Rosenbloom Content Editor, EcotourismLaos.com

2. EcotourismLaos.com • Premier Partner Program • Background • Premier Partner Program/Benefits • Examples of Premier Partner Listings • Site Changes • Membership Fees

3. EcotourismLaos.com • www.ecotourismlaos.com is an official site of the Lao National Tourism Administration (LNTA) and was created with the support from the ADB-financed GMS Sustainable Tourism Development Project (STDP). • The purpose of www.ecotourismlaos.com is to provide travelers with information on nature and culture-based tourism activities, handicrafts, eco-accommodation, National Protected Areas, provinces, world heritage sites, etc. in Lao PDR. • The site’s aim is to help generate income for local communities, support natural and cultural protected areas, and minimize negative impacts on Lao's culture and environment.

4. EcotourismLaos.com • Between 6,000-8,000 people visit EcotourismLaos.com each month. • First-time visitors account for over 70% of the total. • More than half of the visitors view the Activities pages. • Each visitor views between 6-9 pages per visit. • EcotourismLaos.com won Planeta.com’sEcotourism Spotlight Award in 2007, 2008, and 2009 and will enter in 2010. • EcotourismLaos.com can direct visitors to your website.

5. EcotourismLaos.com • Ecotourism Laos has been upgrading its website to attract more visitors, provide better information, expand the content and become more interactive. Over the past year, Ecotourism Laoshas: • Revised and continually updated the entire site, focusing on Activities • Expanded What’s New andnow uploads/emails it monthly • Launched a Virtual Tour of Laos at the Photo Gallery • Opened an online Hotel Booking Engine • Created a dedicated Contact, ecotourismlaos@gmail.com, to quickly answer enquiries • More upgrades are planned for 2010-2011.

6. The Premier Partner Program • Members of Ecotourism Laos’ Premier Partner Programbenefit by receiving an extensive listing on one of the Premier Partner Pages:Tour Operators, Eco-Accommodation and Handicrafts. • A Premier Partner Page Listing: • Promotes you on Laos’ award-winning, No.1 ecotourism website • Includes: • A 100-word description of your business • A banner and photographs linked to your website • A list of your products/services • Contact information with links to your website and email address • Connects EcotourismLaos.com visitors to you • Increases visitor traffic to your website/email

7. Ecotourism Laos Sends Visitors to You • On the website menu, “Premier Partners” replaces “Travel Services”with a three-category sub-menu: • Tour Operators • Eco-Accommodation • Handicrafts • EcotourismLaos.com links visitors to Premier Partner Pages from throughout the site: • More than 50 Provincial Tourism Office Trekking itineraries • Activities Section: Caves, Waterfalls, Camping, Handicrafts, Wildlife, Rivers, Ethnic Villages, Climbing, Cycling, Birding • Provincial Highlights, World Heritage Sites, Travel Facts, Transportation, Protected Areas, New Products, What’s New • The EcotourismLaos.com Home Page prominently displays a banner linking to the Premier Partner main page…

8. Ecotourism Laos Premier Partners Ecotourism Laos Premier Partners play a vital role in maintaining and upgrading this website. Without their support, the site would have little income to continue as Laos’ top source for ecotourism information . If you are looking for a responsible tour operator, eco-accommodation, or authentic handicrafts in the destinations you plan to visit, please visit Ecotourism Laos' Premier Partners. Premier Partners: Tour Operators Premier Partners: Eco-Accommodation Premier Partners: Handicrafts

9. Premier Partner Pages These links, Premier Partners: Tour Operators Premier Partners: Eco-Accommodation Premier Partners: Lao Handicrafts are strategically placed throughout EcotourismLaos.com and lead to the three Premier Partner Pages. Premier Partner Pages are divided by provinces, and businesses can be listed in more than one province. The following shows the Premier Partner Pages with sample listings:

10. Premier Partners: Tour Operators Looking for a trek to an ethnic village for an overnight stay? How about biking on mountain trails, camping in a National Protected Area or rafting down a remote river? Ecotourism Laos' Premier Partners offer a range of responsible nature- and culture-based tour packages throughout the country: Find a Premier PartnerTour Operator by province: AttapeuBokeoChampassakKhammouaneLuang PrabangLuang NamthaOudomxay PhongsaliSavannakhet Xieng KhouangVang ViengVientiane Capital

11. Green Discovery Laos Head Office: Vientiane Green Discovery Laos has been pioneering adventure travel and ecotourism in Laos since 2000, and offers more than 100 programs around the country. Green Discovery can also customize itineraries to meet your needs. Safety remains a top priority for Green Discovery, who is proud of its 100% safety record. All adventure equipment is of the highest international standards. Many of the guides are internationally certified in whitewater rescue, first aid and CPR. Green Discovery places great emphasis on Socially Responsible Tourism, and is committed to engaging local communities as true business partners in developing and operating the tours and equitably sharing the profits.

12. VisitGreen Discovery Laos Operating in: Luang Prabang Champassak Vang Vieng Luang Namtha Khammouane Head Office: VientianeTel: (856-21) 264 680Email: info@greendiscoverylaos.comWebsite: www.greendiscoverylaos.com

13. Premier Partners: Eco-Accommodation Ecotourism Laos' Premier Partners present a variety of well-run, environmentally friendly, socially responsible accommodation throughout the country. Though Laos does not have an official standard for eco-accommodation, Premier Partner properties meet most, if not all of these qualities: Find Premier PartnerEco-accommodation by province: AttapeuBokeoChampassakKhammouaneLuang Prabang Luang NamthaOudomxay PhongsaliSalavan SavannakhetXieng KhouangVang ViengVientiane Capital

14. RivertimeEcolodge Resort Location: Vientiane Province Built harmoniously in a forest on the banks of the Nam Ngum River, just 40 minutes from Vientiane, the RivertimeEcolodge Resort offersa genuine rural Lao experience with most of the comforts of home. Constructed withlocal, natural materials without cutting down a single tree, RivertimeEcolodge Resort presents relaxing, moderately priced accommodation with river views. Family-size private lodges include en-suite bathrooms, balconies overlooking the Nam Ngum and hot water showers. RivertimeEcolodge Resort employs local staff and contributes US$2 per guest to local education and community development funds. The resort also offers a range of eco-activities and facilities.

15. VisitRivertime Ecolodge Resort Head Office: Tel: Email: rivertimeresort@hotmail.com Website: www.rivertimelaos.com

16. Premier Partners: Handicrafts Laos offers a treasure trove of handicrafts produced by locals using traditional methods and natural materials. Among the most popular are hand-woven silk and cotton textiles, silver work, woodcarvings, baskets, wicker ware and mulberry paper. For those unable to visit the villages producing Lao handicrafts, Ecotourism Laos’ Premier Partners offer a large selection of high-quality, traditional Lao handicrafts in many provincial capitals. Find Premier PartnerHandicrafts by province: AttapeuBokeoChampassakKhammouaneLuang Prabang Luang NamthaOudomxay PhongsaliSalavan SavannakhetXieng KhouangVang ViengVientiane Capital

17. Ock Pop Tok Location: Luang Prabang Ock Pop Tok, ‘East Meets West’, is a ninnovative textile gallery and weaving centre created by two local women with a passion for weaving and a vision for showcasing and selling Lao’s textiles to the world. Visitors to the Ock Pop Tok centre can take a guided tour to observe local artisans transform raw silk into finished textiles, and enthusiasts can take classes in silk dyeing and weaving, and tours with home stays in weaving villages. Ock Pop Tok employs some 30 full-time staff and works directly with over 150 women from seven rural villages comprising a variety of ethnic groups throughout the provinces of northern Laos.

18. VisitOck Pop Tok Tel:(+856) [0] 71 254406 / 253219Email:info@ockpoptok.comWebsite: www.ockpoptok.com

19. Site Changes • To maximize the benefits for Premier Partners while maintaining the site’s objective of promoting ecotourism in Laos, some changes must be made besides those previously mentioned: • “Tour Operators” will now link to the Lao Association of Tour Agents’ (LATA) membership page. Ecotourism Laos will only feature Premier Partners: Tour Operators. • In “Handicrafts”, the village crafts will remain, while businesses are invited to become Premier Partners. A link will direct visitors to the “Premier Partners: Handicrafts” page • “Eco-accommodation” listings will be upgraded to those of Premier Partners if the properties agree to become a member.

20. Membership Fees The Initial Setup Fee includes writing/editing the listing to fit Ecotourism Laos’ template, layout, uploading and administration. The Annual Membership Fee will be distributed to the LNTA and the private-sector contractors to operate and administrate the site. Initial Setup Fee: USD 80 Includes first-year annual listing/membership fee Members may change their page’s content each year Annual Listing/Membership Fee: USD 20 Listings in more than one province will be charged for each entry from the second year and beyond. For more information, contact Bernie Rosenbloom: ecotourismlaos@gmail.com