With the return of ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) back to Laos after a ten-year hiatus, tourism operators in Laos are putting their best foot forward as they gear up for a year of intensified promotion in 2024.

A series of meaningful events are anticipated to help Laos reach its tourism goals, beginning with the Visit Laos Year 2024, which was launched in November last year in conjunction with the 2023 That Luang Festival, among the most celebrated festivals for Lao people.

Visit Laos Year 2024 is conceived with the aim of attracting a greater number of international tourists and increasing the visitor spend in the country, said Laos Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Suanesavanh Vignaket. The slogan for Visit Laos Year 2024 was set as ‘Laos: A Paradise of Culture, Nature and History’, while an elephant holding a khaen (a Lao musical instrument) stands as the logo.

Cultural capital, adventure haven

Manisakhone Thammavongxay, deputy director of Tourism Promotion Department in Laos, is encouraging visitors to explore Laos beyond the capital city of Vientiane. During yesterday’s NTO media briefing on Visit Laos Year 2024 at ATF 2024, she highlighted the appeal of various districts and provinces to attract more tourists to the country.

“Laos takes great pride in hosting ATF 2024, serving as a platform to promote the Visit Laos Year 2024,” said Suanesavanh Vignaket, Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Laos.

For Visit Laos Year 2024, MICT has organised 14 national-level activities and 65 provincial-level activities. Featured provinces, including Nong Khiaw/Meuang Ngoi (village experience), Oudomxay (overnight cave treks), and Xieng Khouang (hot springs), are aligned with the theme ‘Laos: A Paradise of Culture, Nature, and History’.

However, Manisakhone acknowledged challenges such as limited tourism infrastructure such as hotels and transport services in these off-the-beaten-track destinatons.

“Efforts to address these issues involve collaboration with corporations and stakeholders and we are continuously working to improve this,” she said.

Diversifying markets

Manisakhone also recognised the rise of diverse traveller profiles and the importance of welcoming all guests.

“The rise in tourist arrivals from India, for example, has prompted us to look into the dietary needs of different people,” she noted.

“We also realise the huge potential of the Muslim travel market and recently sought advice from the Indonesian Embassy to enhance our understanding of the Muslim travellers’ needs.”

Manisakhone emphasised that the primary goal of Visit Laos Year 2024 is to rebound from the impact of the pandemic, with a specific focus on attracting tourists from neighbouring Thailand and other ASEAN countries, as well as China and South Korea.

To leverage this momentum, the MICT is also working with various government agencies to address longer visa incentives.