Over 2000 Domestic Tourists Visited Vang Vieng in December 2021

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Vang Vieng, Laos (Photo: Jason Rolan)
Vang Vieng, Laos (Photo: Jason Rolan)


More than two thousand domestic tourists visited Vang Vieng District in Vientiane Province throughout December 2021.

Following the reopening of attractions in Vang Vieng late last year, the number of visitors reached over 2000 in December, Socio-Economic Daily reports.

Head of the Vang Vieng District Office of Information, Culture, and Tourism, Mr. Atthayasay Manivanh, says some 2,664 tourists visited Vang Vieng in December 2021.

He said that Vang Vieng had seen great hardship after facing closure for a year as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, with the tourism sector hit hardest.

However, a large number of tourist sites across Vang Vieng District have since reopened,  including caves, waterfalls, and viewpoints.

“With tourism services reopening, authorities and business operators in Vang Vieng are taking strict measures to prevent and control the spread of Covid-19,” Mr. Atthayasay added.

Domestic tourists flock to Vang Vieng during the New Year holiday.
Domestic tourists flock to Vang Vieng during the New Year holiday (Photo: Vientiane Province Update).

Meanwhile, Deputy District Governor of Vang Vieng, Mr. Kwian Thong Theptha, told the media that authorities in Vang Vieng are speeding up economic recovery by providing low-interest loans to businesses.

Owner of Cliff View Riverside Resort & Restaurant, Ms. Kai, said in an interview that she witnessed a large influx of domestic tourists over the last month that gave a significant boost to local businesses.

She said that some restaurants were caught by surprise, running out of supplies and being unable to serve customers.

“It is wonderful that Vang Vieng is reopening to tourists since this will assist the local economy and provide employment for individuals who lost their jobs during the Covid outbreak,” Ms. Kai added.

Green Travel Zone Plan

Laos has officially reopened phase one of its Green Zone Travel Plan, allowing fully vaccinated foreign tourists traveling with group tours to enter the country.

Vang Vieng has been listed as a “Green Zone” under the country’s Green Zone Travel reopening scheme, along with Vientiane Capital and Luang Prabang.

Under the plan, international tourists traveling with group tours may visit areas designated as green zones, which have populations that are 70-80 percent vaccinated against Covid-19, with 90-95 percent of service providers immunized.

Traveling in Green Travel Zone areas would see tourists staying at hotels certified under the LaoSafe program, while tourists traveling outside green zones to other provinces could travel to areas approved as “Green Trail Zone” locations.

Vang Vieng is now accessible via the Vientiane to Vang Vieng Expressway, as well as along the Laos-China Railway.