The Development of the Potential of Tourism Business Personnel in Luang Prabang, Lao People's Democratic Republic

Abstract

This research article has three main objectives: 1) To study the environment of the tourism industry in Luang Prabang, Lao People's Democratic Republic; 2) To analyze the level of capacity development for personnel in the hotel sector; and  3) To propose guidelines for managing and developing tourism personnel. The study employs both quantitative methods, using surveys from 114 operators with statistical analysis including percentages, means, standard deviations, and hypothesis testing, and qualitative methods through interviews with 10 experts, analyzed using descriptive content analysis to provide in-depth information and suitable recommendations.

The results indicate that: 1) The tourism industry in Luang Prabang faces major issues such as regional tourism dependency, lack of sustainability, and tourist congestion impacting the environment and services. Factors such as staff retention and inadequate training contribute to development challenges. Strengths include cultural and natural heritage, while weaknesses involve resource shortages and inflation-related cost increases. 2) The development of local personnel in the tourism industry in Luang Prabang is generally high, with positive correlations found between inspiration and environmental resource management (r=.423), and individual consideration and social resource management (r=.335), while other factors showed low or no statistically significant relationships. 3) The study finds that tourism management in Luang Prabang emphasizes visionary leadership and rapid adaptation to economic and technological changes, promoting role modeling, inspiration, and employee skill development. Additionally, collaboration between local organizations and external agencies supports sustainable economic and tourism development.