From January to August, Laos welcomed a total of 2.6 million international visitors while seeing approximately 2.3 million domestic travelers, according to the Tourism Development Department under the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism.
Thailand accounted for the highest number of foreign tourists visiting Laos, followed by Vietnam and China, which ranked second and third, respectively. Although specific tourist figures from each country were not disclosed, the report indicates that Thailand leads in the number of visitors.
Other notable sources include South Korea, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Russia, Japan, and Germany.
In August alone, Laos welcomed over 500,000 foreign tourists and recorded around 400,000 local travelers exploring different parts of the country. Compared to the same period last year, international tourism increased by 18.8 percent, while domestic travel surged by 84.22 percent.
International tourists have generated an estimated USD 801.3 million so far this year, while domestic travelers have contributed approximately USD 388.3 million.
To further boost tourism, Laos has introduced visa exemptions for citizens from 36 countries, including major markets like China, Japan, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
The country also implemented visa-free entry for Chinese visitors as part of the “Visit Laos Year 2024” campaign, alongside multiple-entry visas and extended stay periods from 30 to 60 days for tourists from countries such as Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, and several European nations.
The Lao government remains optimistic about the future of tourism, setting a target to welcome at least 4.6 million international visitors in 2024, with an expected revenue of USD 1.3 billion.
