Vientiane’s Businesswomen To Back Economic Recovery By Hosting Carnival

Source: Vientiane Times

The Vientiane Women’s Union plans to contribute to the nation’s economic recovery amid economic and financial difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic by organising its first carnival.

The Vientiane’s Women Union will collaborate with business units in Vientiane run by women to hold the carnival, which will also promote businesswomen and encourage them to follow in the footsteps of their ancestors in keeping alive traditions, culture, textiles and culinary skills.

Speaking at a news conference on the event, the President of the Vientiane’s Women Union, Ms Liankham Vilaphanh, said this event will allow the business sector and women entrepreneurs to showcase and sell their products. “This carnival will promote the production skills of women entrepreneurs and we expect to welcome many of the foreign visitors who are visiting Laos under the Green Zone Travel project,” she said.

The five-day carnival, to be held at the Mekong River Bank, is expected to attract more than 30,000 visitors and generate revenues of up to 2 billion to 3 billion kip.

The organising committee for the carnival has arranged a total of 172 booths, including 25 for handicrafts, 10 for fresh fruits and 105 for food.

“This is the very first event that the Vientiane Women’s Union will be organising and we hope more exhibitors will be interested in displaying their products. We also hope the visitors will be more than the expected figures,” she added.

The Director of the Vientiane Information, Culture and Tourism Department, Ms Vilayvone Chanthalaty, who also addressed the news conference, said the event will contribute to the implementation of the national agenda for tackling economic and financial difficulties.

“Over the past two years, the Covid-19 pandemic has had a lot of impact, and the government is working on ways to tackle economic challenges. This event will comply with the government’s policy to help the impacted business sectors and enable economic recovery,” she said, adding that the department will help the organising committee by spreading the message about the carnival through media outlets.

The carnival is also meant to commemorate the 112th anniversary of the International Women’s Day and there will be a variety of activities to mark the occasion, including story-telling about the event, dissemination of information on laws to protect the rights of women and children, sports activities and a special cleaning drive.