Government officials, LuxDev representatives, teachers and students pose for a group photo during the visit to the Vangvieng campus.

Vangvieng campus opens new hospitality, tourism training facilities

A new 450,000 Euros vocational training facility has opened at the Technical College in Vangvieng district, Vientiane province, equipping young people with hands-on hospitality and tourism skills to tackle the growing national labour shortage. 
​Supported under the Skills for Tourism, Agriculture and Forestry (STAF) Programme, the centrepiece of the expansion is a high-quality, two-storey building housing a fully equipped teaching kitchen, a production kitchen, and a student-run café. 
These facilities allow students to learn in a realistic, industry-standard environment that mirrors commercial hospitality expectations. Moving training into practical, work-like settings helps students develop technical skills, workplace behaviour, confidence, and customer-service standards that employers demand, closing the gap between training and labour market needs.
Deputy Minister of Education and Sports ​Dr Daravone Kittiphanh said “The new kitchens and café provide an experiential learning environment where students can apply their classroom knowledge in practical settings. By engaging in operational, service, administrative, and management functions, they will develop the practical competencies and workplace skills needed for future employment.”

The Vice Chairman of Vientiane provincial Administration Committee, Mr Sompasong Souvongkhamchanh, encouraged “everyone to take full advantage of these buildings and facilities and to continue working together to help young people develop their skills, create opportunities for future success, and foster a sustainable tourism industry”.
​Head of Development Cooperation at the Embassy of Luxembourg to Laos, Mr Fränk Peiffer, said “The college and its training hotel and restaurant – The Academy Vang Vieng – have become a model of how vocational education and commercial operations can reinforce each other. Luxembourg is proud to have contributed to establishing this centre of excellence over the years, adopting a holistic approach made possible thanks to close coordination with the Lao government, provincial authorities, college leadership, and Team Europe partners.”
​With STAF Programme support, the college has also upgraded living conditions for students and teachers to boost recruitment and retention. 
An unused administration building was converted into fully furnished teacher accommodation comprising four two-bedroom family apartments, four twin-bed apartments, and four single apartments, each complete with a bathroom, kitchenette, and living area, alongside communal cooking and laundry facilities.
​Additionally, the female dormitory received new laundry, cooking, toilet, and shower facilities, along with improved lighting and landscaping, while the male dormitory underwent renovations to its living areas and sanitary facilities.
Head of the Inclusive Economic Development Programme at the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, ​Mr Björn Schranz, said “These investments are not simply about buildings. They are about creating an environment where learning can flourish, and where teachers and students can work productively and in dignity. Furthermore, these investments will help increase enrolment, which is especially important at a time when Laos is facing significant labour shortages.”
Head of Cooperation at the European Union (EU) Delegation, ​Ms Veerle Smet, noted “With EU support, this handover in Vangvieng marks an important step in strengthening vocational education and training. It is a concrete example of the Global Gateway approach in action, helping Lao youth gain practical skills, hands-on experience, and stronger pathways to employment.”
​The STAF Programme is a six-year initiative (2023-2028) co-financed by Laos, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and the European Union. 
Implemented by the Ministry of Education and Sports alongside LuxDev, the Luxembourg Development Cooperation Agency, it aims to increase employment and income opportunities for youth and disadvantaged groups in Laos by strengthening vocational skills in tourism, hospitality, agriculture, and forestry.

By Advertorial Desk
 (Latest Update September 9, 2026)