The Coping Strategies Planning to Operating Tourist Services, A Case Study of Tourist Service Entrepeneur at Vang Vieng District, Vientiane Province

Abstract

The study on adaptation measures and coping plans of entrepreneurs in tourism sector of Vang Vieng after the pandemic outbreak has objectives to investigate the impacts of the pandemic on the socio-economic condition of Vang Vieng and to study the adaptation measures and strategic planning of entrepreneurs in tourism sector. In addition, the study aims at analyzing the needs for capacity improvement in their business operation in order to cope with the aftermath of the outbreak to ensure the sustainability of their business. In order to fulfill the objectives, the questionnaires were distributed to 96 samples, representing the entrepreneurs in 6 business areas.

The study found that the outbreak of the pandemic between 2020-2021 significantly affected the tourism sector, which caused the loss of income to the town about 287,390,766,000 kip or 158.54 per cent compared to the income in 2019. Accordingly, the entrepreneurs in tourism sector tried to find measures to adapt for surviving during that time of hardship. Many of them temporarily pause their investment, some utilized income gained from other sources to operate the business, some temporarily stopped their business, some reduced the number of employees, and others planned to invest on additional activities and also improved the business infrastructure to serve the tourists when the pandemic ended.

In addition, to smoothen the operation and ensure the sustainability of the business, the entrepreneurs in the tourism sector had the needs to increase their capability on many aspects, such as the ability to cogitate and learn new knowledge, the ability to participate on formulating strategies and programs. This study proposed that the relevant authorities should support and encourage entrepreneurs in many aspects to revive the tourism sector once again.