Mohan Port on China’s border with Laos has reported a significant surge in international passenger traffic this year, according to data released by Chinese authorities. As of 14 August, the port’s border inspection station has processed over 1.66 million passengers from 101 countries and regions, a record for the port in a single year.
Daily traveler numbers have more than doubled from just over 4,000 last year to over 7,300 this year, with the highest daily count nearing 10,000.
International travelers have made up a substantial portion of this increase. Over 676,000 foreign passengers have passed through the port this year, accounting for about 41 percent of the total. This represents a 153.7 percent increase compared to last year. The top three nationalities among these travelers are from Laos, Thailand, and Malaysia.
Complementing this growth, the Laos-China Railway has also seen high figures. From January to May, the railway recorded over 10,000 trains and 8.7 million passengers, marking a 17.5 percent increase from the previous year. This growth supports regional development and cultural exchanges, significantly contributing to the Visit Laos Year 2024 initiative by attracting more Chinese tourists.
Efforts to boost tourism include increasing train frequencies, implementing online ticketing, and enhancing onboard services. As the largest land port on the China-Laos border, Mohan Port remains a crucial hub in the Belt and Road Initiative and a key gateway to the Indochina Peninsula.
