Centara Hotels & Resorts has signed an agreement to manage three new properties in Laos, including an upscale Centara Grand Luang Prabang and a mid-scale Centra by Centara property near the town centre in the Unesco World Heritage site of Luang Prabang.
The third property will be in Vientiane, the Lao capital, represented under Centara's new lifestyle brand, Cosi.
Centara chief executive Thirayuth Chirathivat said the three new hotels are the latest in Centara's expansion strategy, which calls for doubling the number of properties under management during the next five years.
These developments will see Centara's hotel count in Laos reach four, with Centara Plumeria Resort Pakse already well under development and scheduled to open in 2020.
"Laos is on the list of more and more travellers to this region, and we want to serve them with distinct and varied accommodation options to match the travel experience they are seeking," Mr Thirayuth said.
Luang Prabang is a well-preserved old spiritual city at the confluence of the Khan and Mekong rivers. The town attracts tourists through a mix of modern amenities and well-preserved ancient temples.
Pheutsapha Phoummasak, president of AIDC Laos, said Luang Prabang and Vientiane are popular destinations for both Thai and international travellers, thanks to their perfect blend of history, beautiful scenery and charming character.
"We are excited to partner with Centara to bring their trusted brands to these great cities and further promote the tourism potential of Laos," Mr Pheutsapha said.
In recent years, the government of Laos has regarded tourism as a priority for driving socioeconomic development.
Laos hopes to attract 5 million visitors in 2018 and increase numbers in the coming years with a tourism campaign under the slogan Simply Beautiful.
According to a new report from the Swiss-based World Economic Forum, Laos ranks 14th among 136 countries in price competitiveness.
