Lanith Chief Emphasizes Tri-Party Social Enterprises at MTF

Speaking at the Mekong Tourism Forum (MTF) in Pakse, Laos, on 27 May, Lanith (Lao National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality) Chief Technical Advisor Peter Semone suggested development assistance organizations, governments, and the private sector should pool their financial resources to triple the amount of funding that feeds individual tourism projects to create "social enterprises".

Mr Semone said, "I cannot emphasize enough the importance of these three entities joining hands to establish a social enterprise…These are not just development projects but businesses, and they should be approached as businesses."

To drive his point home, Mr Semone quoted Nobel laureate Milton Friedman, "Do what you are good at and not just do good," adding that one person or project cannot do everything by themselves, and they need to find partners.

Mr Semone went on to explain that Lanith represents the "service side of the hospitality and tourism industry, or the 'software' (which is) probably more important than everything else (in the sector)."

He noted that to deliver a high degree of service quality, Lanith's focus is two-fold: education and skills training.

"The education side is aimed at molding career-minded students who want to advance in the industry, while skills training targets the current workforce, who need to develop the right skills and knowledge to deliver excellent service…This is the key message. Don't mix up the two."

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