Vientiane, Feb 10 (IANS): The Lao government has called for greater efforts to promote sustainable tourism and cultural preservation, emphasising their significant contributions to socio-economic growth.
Authorities in the tourism sector should collaborate with other sectors to ensure that industrial development is compatible with the tourism industry and promotes sustainable tourism, Lao News Agency on Monday quoted Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone as saying at the annual meeting of the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism.
Sonexay also called for the promotion and preservation of Lao culture, including the creation of cultural villages, the restoration of traditions, and the elimination of outdated customs. Efforts to improve libraries, museums, and heritage sites were emphasized to attract more visitors.
The government focused on managing historical, nature-based, and agriculture-based attractions, with an emphasis on active community involvement and ensuring visitor safety. It also called for improved services and the creation of diverse tourism products, Xinhua news agency reported.
The meeting, held from February 5 to February 7, also reviewed the visa waiver policy introduced during Visit Laos Year 2024, with recommendations expected to guide future policies.
The tourism sector saw strong growth in 2024, with 4.1 million foreign visitors generating $1 billion in revenue. Domestic tourism also thrived, with 3.3 million Lao travellers spending $540 million within the country.
According to data provided to the Laotian Times by the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, in 2024 a total of 4,120,832 tourists visited Laos
The top 10 countries contributing to this success with the highest number of visitors were Thailand, Vietnam, China, Korea, France, Russia, the United States, and the U.K.
Thailand led the way with 1,215,553 tourists, followed by Vietnam with 1,054,204, and China with 1,048,034.
The rise in visitor numbers to Laos is attributed to the country’s increased exposure on several international travel websites as well as the success of the 2024 Visit Laos Year campaign. As part of this initiative, Laos granted special visa exemptions to more than 30 countries, including China, the United States, and eight European countries.
In October, Laos was ranked fourth on the list of the Top 30 Best Places to Visit in 2025 by the travel guidebook “Lonely Planet.” The top five destinations include Cameroon, Lithuania, Fiji, Laos, and Kazakhstan.