Tourism boost

With more Chinese tourists coming to Laos via the new railway route, the Lao government announced a 15-day visa-free policy for Chinese tourists from July during the Visit Laos Year 2024, to further encourage tourism and cultural ties between the two countries.

"The government of the Lao PDR (People's Democratic Republic) has identified the tourism sector as one of the important priorities in the country's socio-economic development and has used a large amount of the budget for the development of tourism," said Lao Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Darany Phommavongsa.

Darany said the Visit Laos Year campaign aims to promote Lao tourism and attract more international tourists, which will contribute to job creation and foreign currency flows into the country.

"The China-Laos Railway has made a strong contribution to facilitating passengers and tourists," Darany told a group of 25 journalists and influencers from China and Southeast Asia on a media tour of the China-Laos Railway.

Organized by the Chinese Mission to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China Daily, the media group took a train to visit key places along the railway route, including Vientiane, Luang Prabang and Boten in Laos, as well as Mohan, Xishuangbanna, Pu'er and Kunming in China from June 23 to 30.

After the launch of the railway, more Chinese tourists are coming to Luang Prabang, helping the town, which was Laos' ancient capital and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, grab a big share of the Lao tourism market, said Bounthavone Phondala, an academic with the Luang Prabang National Museum.

Due to rising demand, Bounthavone said there has been a shortage of tour guides. The museum currently has one guide who can speak Mandarin.

Goud, who goes by one name, is from the Khmu ethnic minority group in Laos. Working in a handicraft shop in Luang Prabang for the past year and a half, she said that it has been observed that more tourists, especially from China, are coming because of the railway.

"The railway is quite helpful especially in peak seasons like winter. There are a lot of people coming to visit Luang Prabang," said Goud. "I am very happy because our products are selling well."