The province is home to over 30 different ethnic groups as well as the Nam Ha National Protected Area and the majority of visitor go there to experience nature, culture and the real lao lifestyle. Gradually more and more tourists are going to Luang Namtha to participate in ecotourism and guest houses like the famous Boat Landing Ecolodge are making Laos better known destination. The local communities there are mainly interested in tourism, not surprisingly, because it makes them money. There are some that recognize the order benefits of tourism like pride in there culture identit and access to information and knowledge. But in the end their main interest is one of the only way to increase income. For local community, one of the main advantages of ecotourism over other kinds of tourism is that more of the money tourists spend goes to locals rather than just big travel companies