世界遺産で1位がラオス HISのブース ラオスフェスティバル2010
HISは移動式ブースで参加。スタッフによると2台目、新型だそうだ。 23日にラオスについて詳しい人が話していた(名前忘れ)。旅行者は180万人のうち日本人は3万人とか(これもうる覚えだけど、要するに、少ない)。ラオスに対して、世界中の旅行者が注目している。世界遺産訪問ランキングで、ラオスのルアンパバーンは2009年に7位に転落して、2010年再度1位に返り咲いている。ちなみに2009年の1位は京都である。イギリス旅行誌【Wanderlust Travel Magazine】で、Wanderlust Travel Tourism awards Top cityに選ばれました!!2008年NEW YORK TIMES紙で、【2008年に行くべき53の場所】で1位を獲得しましたが。それに続く光栄な賞を受賞いたしました。賞は、3月15日正式に贈られることとなっていると、地元紙VIENTIANE TIMES は伝えています。Luang Prabang regains top ranking in tourism awards The world heritage listed town of Luang Prabang has returned to the top of a list of best tourist destinations as polled by Wanderlust Travel Magazine. To make sure Luang Prabang retains its status as a top tourist destination, officials are actively working on long term plans for cultural, religious and historic conservation and development. The magazine announces its Wanderlust Travel Awards annually. This year Luang Prabang received first place with a score of 94.74 percent, followed by Siena , Italy , with 94.67 percent and Berlin , Germany , with 94.15 percent. Last year's top ranked city, Kyoto , Japan , came in fifth with 93.33 percent. Luang Prabang won the title from 2006 to 2008 before falling to seventh in 2009 because the city could not maintain its beauty, attractiveness and cleanliness, said Deputy Head of the Luang Prabang provincial Tourism Department, Mr Khamtan Somphanvilay. "We were voted back as number one this year because the relevant sectors actively worked together to address the issues raised by UNESCO relating to the town's heritage areas and conservation," he said. This year's award was for the period December 2008 to November 2009 and was decided by visitors to each town over that period. In most categories, readers of the magazine were asked to list up to four entries and score each one on its merits. The final positions are based on an average score for the entry (converted to a percentage) ? so the results are based on merit rather than the number of votes received. "To be the winner is not easy, but to maintain top ranking is even more difficult so the various sectors have to formulate long-term development and conservation plans," Mr Khamtan said. To maintain the ranking, the bodies involved will increase cooperation efforts. The awards will be officially presented on March 14, but the department has asked that the date be postponed to March 15 to allow it to prepare and make public announcements. The award will again feature in the annual Lao New Year parade, to be held in Luang Prabang in April. Luang Prabang was granted world heritage status by UNESCO in 1995. The town is the former capital of the ancient kingdom of Lane Xang , or the land of a million elephants. Luang Prabang is a cultural centre in the region, with its numerous temples a testimony to a wealth of culture and civilisation.