Lao PDR faces a great opportunity todevelop its tourism sector, in particular nature-basedtourism (NBT), to create greener, more resilient economicgrowth and good jobs from its attractive landscapes andwildlife. Throughout the world, NBT is the fastest growingsegment of tourism, and the demand is growing as the urbanmiddle class expands, particularly in Asia. There is anopportunity for less established destinations with richnatural and cultural heritage to contribute to sustainablesocial and economic development, especially in rural areasand particularly for the benefit of women and young people,who can often be marginalized in socially and economicallydisadvantaged areas. However, there have been severalexamples globally, and in Lao PDR, where communities withmodest attractions and difficult accessibility were promisedlarge numbers of tourists and resulting incomes, withnothing materializing. This report seeks to assess thepotential for NBT, identify barriers to sustainable NBTdevelopment, and formulate potential solutions and actionsthat contribute to the country's green growth ambitions.
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