According to information by the Tourism Marketing Department of the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism, 644,756 foreign tourists visited Laos through September and the government is expecting 300,000 more international travelers to visit the country this year. A majority of these travelers were from neighboring Thailand (364,515), who were excited to travel on the high-speed Laos-China Railway and visit popular tourist sites like Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng.
Although China’s borders are still closed, it ranked second with 18,902 Chinese tourists visiting Laos. Thanks to direct flights between Seoul and Vientiane, 9,885 people visited from South Korea, followed by the US with 6,695 people, and 6,379 travelers came in from neighboring Cambodia. Foreign tourists have generated a revenue of over USD 100 million through September and with the high season setting in, this number is expected to go up considerably.
Meanwhile, the hospitality industry is geared up to welcome tourists during this time and has upgraded its standards and trained its staff to serve patrons even better. Additionally, the government has also collaborated with local businesses to organize exhibitions and fairs and work on the development of new tourism-related products, ensuring the best travel experience for visitors.
Sam Son sea festival slated for April 21
The 2018 sea festival of Sam Son city of the north central coastal province of Thanh Hoa will take place on April 21, heard a press conference held in the city on April 12.