In 2018, Lao launched their Visit Laos Year program aimed at drawing foreign visitors to the country which proved to be a success. This year was proclaimed Visit Laos–China Year with bilateral activities and tourism promotion campaigns is both countries targetting at encouraging tourists from the both countries to travel more actively. The campaign resulted in a significant rise in Chinese travellers arrivals in 2019: this year, Laos welcomed over 750,000 Chinese travellers, an impressive increase of 26 percent compared to the same period in 2018.
The moto of 2020 will be Lao Thiao Lao meaning the Lao travel across Laos. According to Vientiane Times, the department of Tourism Marketing under the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism, announced the campaign stimulating Lao peope to travel within the country is part of the national socio-economic development plan for 2020.
The target for domestic visitors numbers for 2020 is not yet known, bus as far as international tourist arrivals are concerned, the government expects the number to reach 4.7 million people generating some USD90 million in revenue.
Laos to Encourage Domestic Tourism
News in Asia
The Lao government is going to encourage the locals to travel domestically more in 2020. Domestic tourism will contribute to tourism in general in addition to attracting overseas visitors.