Laos Aims for 4.3 Million International Tourists by 2025
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Synopsis
Laos is on track to attract 4.3 million international tourists by 2025, aiming for over $1 billion in revenue. The Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism has launched a development plan for enhancing tourism infrastructure and services across the country while promoting sustainable practices.
Key Takeaways
- Laos targets 4.3 million foreign tourists by 2025.
- Projected revenue of over $1 billion.
- Focus on improving infrastructure and services.
- Local community involvement is essential.
- Laos ranks fourth among the best places to visit in 2025.
Vientiane, Feb 11 (NationPress) Laos is setting its sights on welcoming 4.3 million foreign tourists by 2025, anticipating revenue generation exceeding $1 billion.
The Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism of Laos has introduced a bold tourism development strategy for the years 2026-2030. This plan is designed to enhance tourism across Laos' northern, central, and southern regions, with a focus on upgrading infrastructure and services at prominent tourist sites, as reported by Socio-Economic News on Tuesday.
The ministry is committed to improving the management and monitoring of key tourist locations, ensuring compliance with both national and international standards to create a secure and inviting atmosphere for travelers.
Moreover, the ministry seeks to increase local community participation in tourism development, emphasizing the significance of utilizing local knowledge and skills to diversify the tourism landscape of the nation.
The focus is on enhancing customer service, ensuring tourist safety, and advocating for sustainable tourism practices that safeguard Laos' natural and cultural heritage, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
To further position Laos as a premier tourist destination, the ministry will continue to leverage media campaigns that deliver precise and timely tourism information.
Additionally, the ministry plans to partner with the private sector to host major events that aim to elevate the country’s international profile.
According to statistics shared with the Laotian Times by the Ministry, a total of 4,120,832 tourists visited Laos in 2024.
The leading countries contributing to this achievement with the highest visitor numbers included Thailand, Vietnam, China, Korea, France, Russia, the United States, and the U.K.
Thailand topped the list with 1,215,553 tourists, followed by Vietnam with 1,054,204 and China with 1,048,034.
The increase in visitor numbers to Laos is credited to the nation’s enhanced visibility on various international travel platforms and the success of the 2024 Visit Laos Year campaign. As part of this initiative, Laos granted special visa exemptions to over 30 countries, including China, the United States, and eight European nations.
In October, Laos was recognized as the fourth best destination on the list of the Top 30 Best Places to Visit in 2025 by the travel guidebook “Lonely Planet.” The top five locations included Cameroon, Lithuania, Fiji, Laos, and Kazakhstan.
