Ock Pop Tok is located in the stunning UNESCO town of Luang Prabang in Laos. For 15 years they have been working to cultivate and preserve Laos’ textile heritage through sustainable tourism. Today, they have visitor accommodation, a Living Arts Centre, retails outlets, and restaurant – where visitors can enjoy the colourful textures as rich as Laotian culture.
Here’s a snapshot of some of their key achievements as winner of Wild Asia Responsible Tourism Award in the category Best in Cultural Preservation:
Ock Pop Tok has been constructed by renovating a traditional Lao home, and the full design has been approved by UNESCO.
Their Living Arts Centre provides classes and workshops in traditional arts and techniques, such as weaving and dyeing.
Food served in their restaurant is inspired by Lao cuisine, and sourced locally from organic farmers and markets.
They run a Village Weaver Project which builds the capacity of artisans and connect them to markets. This is run in partnership with local NGOs and is currently delivered in 11 provinces.
Each guest room is designed in keeping with Lao ethnic groups, each with a unique theme giving a real sense of place for every visitor.
Ock Pop Tok regards themselves as an engine for growth and awareness of culture beyond Lao border. Visitors from far and wide can explore their gallery of beautiful pieces, directly benefiting the weavers when purchasing local crafts. They share weaving techniques in foreign countries so that other artisans can learn and enhance their own culture.
Currently, they are providing a fair living wage to more than twenty artisans.
For more information about Ock Pop Tok, please visit their website.
Pictures and text reproduced from WildAsia with permission.