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Wednesday, February 12, 2025
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Luang Prabang Seeks Visa Waiver Extension for More Chinese Tourists

This Week

Luang Prabang Province is calling for the Lao government to extend visa waivers for Chinese tourists, aiming to boost tourism and enhance visitor experiences ahead of a potential new “Visit Laos Year,” with the launch date yet to be decided.

Soudaphone Khomthavong, an official from the Luang Prabang Provincial Information, Culture, and Tourism Department, raised these proposals during a cabinet meeting on 5 February.

The official recommended that the government consider extending visa waivers for Chinese tour groups and other countries without exemptions, citing the large number of Chinese tourists who visited Laos last year.

In 2024, Luang Prabang recorded a total of 438,355 Chinese tourists, making them the largest group of visitors that year, surpassing those from Thailand and South Korea.

Additionally, Soudaphone suggested reviewing lessons learned from the 2024 Visit Laos Year campaign to improve future initiatives and better accommodate a potential increase in tourist arrivals.

Soudaphone also emphasized the need for government funding at the local level to support tourism promotion activities. She stressed that with better resources, future tourism campaigns could achieve greater success.

To improve the visitor experience, Luang Prabang plans to upgrade infrastructure and facilities at tourist sites. This includes improving access roads, enhancing equipment and services at popular attractions, and providing better training for tourism personnel. The province also intends to raise the quality of transportation services for visitors.

However, challenges remain from the 2024 Visit Laos Year campaign. Soudaphone highlighted that key access roads to popular destinations, such as Tad Kuang Si Waterfall and the route from Luang Prabang city to the Laos-China railway station, are still in poor condition and require urgent repairs. Upgrading these roads is essential for unlocking the province’s tourism potential.

While no specific timeline for these improvements was mentioned, officials remain committed to making Luang Prabang a more accessible and enjoyable destination for tourists in the future.

Last year, the government announced free visas for Chinese citizens booking through credit agencies. The policy also included visitors from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, allowing them to stay in Laos for up to 15 days. This initiative was part of the Visit Laos Year 2024 campaign and aimed to attract more tourists from these regions.

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