In a bid to promote tourism in the second half of 2024, Laos is set to introduce a visa-free policy for some groups of Chinese visitors.
As the authorities have explained, the policy will be applied only to tourist groups accompanied by travel agents and is expected to occur by the end of June, VisaGuide.World reports.
As part of this move, the Lao government is also considering offering visa-related incentives to visitors from other target markets, including free multiple-entry visas and an extended duration from 30 to 60 days.
According to local media, this initiative aims to increase the number of visitors from China to Laos, as they represent the country’s top visitors.
China Ranked 3rd in Q1 2024 as a Major Source of Foreign Tourist Arrivals After Thailand & Vietnam
During the first three months of this year, Laos welcomed over 242,000 Chinese tourists, making China the third largest source of foreign tourist arrivals after Thailand and Vietnam. Meanwhile, last year, it recorded more than 641,000 Chinese tourists.
Moreover, in the first four months of 2024, Laos welcomed more than 1.5 million foreign tourists, an increase of about 35 percent compared to last year. Chinese tourists numbered at least 351,000. The number of tourists from all ASEAN countries increased to more than 862,000, an increase of 18 percent compared to the same period in 2023.
At the same time, domestic tourism is also booming with many famous tourist spots, such as Luang Prabang and Vangvieng, thanks to the convenient and affordable service provided by the railway.
Last year, China was the third largest source of tourists for Laos, with more than 600,000 visitors. Commenting on the data, Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Darany Phommavongsa expects the number to rise further to 800,000 this year.
She further revealed that the government also offers short training courses for the tourism industry, including Chinese-language tour guide and hospitality service training for managers and staff.
The plan of Laos to attract more foreign visitors follows a proposal by members of the Lao National Assembly during their 7th ordinary session on June 10 to introduce a visa waiver for more countries.
In this regard, a member from Champasak province, Saithong Xaiyaong, highlighted the economic advantages of these waivers and called for careful consideration of which countries and visitors would benefit the most.
Currently, Laos offers visa waivers to nationals of 36 countries. The specifics of these exemptions depend on whether they have diplomatic, service, or regular passports.