Laos

THAI Smile Airways will start twice weekly flights from Bangkok to Vientiane from Feb

Laos will increase production of its Molacovir drug

Saravan province is looking at upgrading tourist attractions and building visitor attractions at tourist destinations such as Tad Lo and Tad Hang waterfalls and Tham Phouphasouk cave

Oudomxay province will add to its electric bus fleet to provide more transportation options for visitors to Xay District

The Laos-China Railway will allow advance ticket sales of up to 3 days from Vietiane-Boten, to reduce the number of people queuing

The World Bank forecasts that Laos will see a 4.5% GDP 2022 growth

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has noted that it is received many requests from the international community to be added to the Green Travel Zone Plan permitted country list, and has therefore suggested that tourist visas be issued at Lao embassies and consular offices overseas, as well as the e-visa system. It also suggests that Wattay International Airport and the Friendship Bridge to Nong Khai be reopened

The first international tourists, a group of Korean schoolchildren, arrived into Laos on 10 Jan under the Green Zone Travel Plan scheme

Luang Prabang is planning to develop more tourist attractions, including outdoor activities on Phou Chomhuad and Phou Hinkong hills. It is undertaking a one-year feasibility study to develop an area of 100-150 hectares, which could see adventure activities such as ziplines, trekking, horse-riding and motocross

More than 2,600 people visited Vangvieng district in Dec, spending 1 billion kip. The district has improved its infrastructure, created new tourism products and is regulating the prices of food and accommodation

The government is hoping that its international reopening will attract 1.9 million domestic tourists and 1 million international tourists in 2022, with the number of accommodation and restaurants to grow by 1.8%

The Lao Food Festival will be held in Vientiane Capital from 25-29 Jan, to promote the country’s food and culture

Laos has detected its first imported case of the Omicron variant

The new airport in Bokeo Province in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone will soon be completed and is set to open soon

The Director of Lao Airlines’ Commercial Department has reported that no international travellers have entered Laos on their flights due to lockdowns in other countries, including China

The government has ordered the Ministry of Public Works and Transport to look into the ticketing sales system for the Laos-China Railway, after receiving many complaints of long queues

Laos has cut its VAT rate from 10% to 7% from 1 Jan 2022

Laos has added 14 more countries to its Travel Green Zone Plan, including Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines, Norway, Switzerland, Finland, Israel, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, New Zealand, Poland, Denmark, and Belgium. This now brings it to a total of 31 countries permitted to enter

More trains will be added on the Laos-China Railway from 30 Dec-3 Jan to cater to demand

Phonsaly province has reported that the earthquakes have created 1.4 billion LAK of damage

Laos has reported a record number of daily deaths

Vientiane Capital has banned parties and gatherings for the New Year holidays

The Laos-China Railway is expected to be profitable in 23 years’ time

Laos will reopen cinemas across the country

LaoSafe is being piloted in Vientiane Capital, with progress so far being “very good”. 8 trainers and 8 assessors have been deployed to support businesses to follow the training and assessment process. In Jan and Feb 2022, this will be expanded to Luang Prabang to support the country’s reopening. A new team of 8 assessors will undergo training in Jan to be able to assess hotels in Vientiane, Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng

The Laos-China Railway is seeing long queues for tickets, as the ticketing system is limited to in-person, cash transactions

The plan to reopen the Laos-Thai border checkpoint in Nong Khai has been postponed, and will need to be re-evaluated on 4 Jan

Luang Prabang District, Chomphet and Pak Ou districts in Luang Prabang province will be green zone tourism destinations in the first phase of the reopening plan

Laos will pilot reopening schools from Jan 2022

Laos reported 2 earthquakes in its northern province on 20 Dec, with no damage reported

The Nong Khai border checkpoint with Laos is set to open on 24 Dec, the first land border using the Test & Go scheme

Laos has announced that it will reopen for tourists on 1 Jan 2022. There will be three phases: 1 Jan-31 Mar 2022, 1 Apr-30 Jun and 1 Jul onwards. Tourists from China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, France, United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, United States, Canada, and Australia will initially be permitted to enter, and will be restricted to group tours under authorised tour operators. No updates were given on whether Lao nationals would be able to participate. They will need to be fully vaccinated, have a health insurance of $50,000 USD, download the LaoKYC app and LaoStaySafe app, and have a negative test within 72 hours. On arrival, they will need to take another test and must stay in quarantine until a negative result. Tourists will be permitted into Green Travel Zones, areas with a minimum 70% adult vaccination rate, and Green Travel Trails: • Phase 1 will see Vientiane Capital, Luang Prabang Province, and Vang Vieng District in Vientiane Province, and 5 Green Travel Trails: Oudomxay, Xayaboury, Xieng Khouang, Khammouane, and Champasack. Travellers can enter by air to Vientiane and by land across the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge • Phase 2 will see 9 Green Travel Zone provinces: Vientiane Capital, Vientiane Province, Luang Prabang, Oudomxay, Xayaboury, Xieng Khouang, Khammouane, Savannakhet, and Champasack with 4 Green Travel Trails. Travellers can enter via Luang Prabang International Airport and certain land borders with China and Vietnam • Tour operators who wish to participate must pre-register in the scheme

China expects 1 million passenger trips during the peak Chinese New Year period on the Laos-China railway

The Lao government forecasts that the economy is set to grow by 4.2% in 2022, driven by the Laos-China Railway

The first 2 international freight trains along the Laos-China Railway arrived last week

Luang Prabang’s National Museum has reopened

Laos reported record new cases on 11 Dec of 1,898

The government has approved a plan to reopen “green tourism areas” in Laos to international travellers from Jan 2022. Domestic and international travellers who want to visit these zones would need to be fully vaccinated. International travellers would need to fill out an online form and have an RT-PCR test within 72 hours of entering Laos, and take another test on arrival. Whilst they await their results, they must quarantine for 24 hours, and are then permitted to visit a green zone. Children aged 5-18 years old must take a test, but do not need to be vaccinated. The green tourism areas will include Vientiane, Vangvieng and Luang Prabang, and travellers must stay in LaoSafe hotels. Green tourism areas must have a 70-80% fully vaccinated population and 90-95% of service providers must be vaccinated. It aims for 1 million international visitors in 2022, and will focus on China and South Korea

The Lao Thiao Lao scheme aims to attract 1.9 million Laos visitors in 2022

More than 5,512 tickets were sold for the Laos-China Railway from 4 Dec, with an “overwhelming number of passengers on the first day”. It is providing domestic train services twice daily, with round trips from Vientiane capital-Boten, and Vientiane Captal-Luang Prabang

Chinese tech firms are looking into digital cooperation between China and Laos after the launch of the Laos-China Railway, with the launch of innovations such as the WeChat mini-program, “Traveling China-Laos Railway”, which aims to create a digital transactional platform, as well as include resources on cultural and tourist spots along the route

The Laos-China Railway has launched on 3 Dec, a 414km track which took 5 years to build. Trains will travel up to 160kmh, and passenger services are expected to start on 4 Dec for those fully vaccinated

Laos has admitted that child labour in the tourism industry remains an issue, with underage workers found in entertainment venues, hotels, restaurants and guesthouses. The Director-General of the Tourism Management Department has said that more coordination is needed to address the issue

Laos’ community cases are continuing to increase

Laos has banned travellers from 9 countries impacted by the Omicron variant: South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, the Seychelles, Malawi and Mozambique

Laos has detected its highest number of daily cases on 26 Nov, at 1,510

Laos has authorised the Sputnik Light vaccine for emergency use

Khammuan province is preparing to receive visitors, with tourist attractions reopening. Hotels and guesthouses are also planning to reopen, but must be assessed first. The province is upgrading Tham Xang and Tham Xieng as new attractions

The Xieng Khouan Buddha Park will reopen on 2 Dec

COVID treatment in Luang Prabang will no longer be given for free

Laos has reported record deaths on 20 Nov

The Laos-China Railway is due to be officially opened on 3 Dec, with 2 passenger trains per day initially, start date to be confirmed. However, foreigners will not be permitted to ride the train yet. There will be 2 cargo trains to China daily

Laos has seen a record number of new daily cases, at 1,401 on 18 Nov

Laos is considering a new reopening plan, Lao Travel Green Zone. This would designate Vientiane Capital, Vang Vieng, and Luang Prabang as “green zones”. A green zone must have 70-80% of its population vaccinated, and 90-95% of its service providers vaccinated. International arrivals would need to be vaccinated, and have a negative test within 72 hours of departure. Tourists would be taken to hotels via designated vehicles certified with the LaoSafe scheme, and undertake an RT-PCR test on arrival, self-isolating at their home until they receive the results. Once the test comes back negative, they will be able to explore the Green Zone. A “Lao Green Trail” would also be launched, which would allow visitors to travel outside of the Green Zones, but they would need to use services of LaoSafe service providers and stay at all-inclusive accommodation. It also proposes launching a new contact tracing app, LaoStaySafe, to monitor tourists during their stay, and provide information

Champasak province will reopen for vaccinated domestic travellers

Savannakhet has reopened to vaccinated domestic travellers

Laos will launch a new safety program for the tourism and hospitality sector, LaoSafe. It will be piloted in Vientiane Capital, and the standards been developed in conjunction with the Ministry of Health (MoH), the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism (MICT), Skills for Tourism Project and business associations. The goal of the scheme is to “to improve quality, protect staff and visitors alike and to inspire confidence in tourists considering a trip to the Lao PDR”. Businesses which qualify will be listed under a special directory, and given marketing collateral. It will be expanded to other destinations from early 2022

The Tourism Ministry is still discussing how long quarantine should be for fully vaccinated international tourists

Luang Namtha will still require a negative COVID test for visitors to the province 72 hours before travel

Laos has extended some of its safety measures, but will permit face to face classes at schools. Travel between provinces will also be permitted without an authorisation required, with no quarantine required. Entertainment venues remain closed, MICE activities with more than 50 pax not permitted

Vangvieng is preparing for the return of tourists, and are planning to restore and upgrade tourist attractions and accommodation, as well as create new tourism products. They expect visitors to increase, as there will be a railway station on the Laos-China line. Oudomxay province is also developing tourism projects, including homestays, restaurants and other tourism products near to Tham Chom-Ong. They will also build a night market and visitor facilities at the waterfalls

Laos has authorised home recovery for COVID patients who meet certain criteria

Laos is preparing to leave its Least Developed Country status by 2026

The Health Ministry will give booster vaccines to medical staff from Jan 2022

A new app, What’s up Laos, has been launched to help boost tourism recovery. It is backed by the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LNCCI) and Skills for Tourism Project (LAO/029), and aims to bring together deals, events and special offers for domestic and international travellers

Economists are calling for the Lao government to take advantage of the China-Laos railway’s benefits. It is aiming for GDP growth in 2022 of 4%

496,000 are unemployed in Laos, with a rate which has increased by 21.8% in 2021

Tourist guides are preparing to welcome tourists once more, the Board of Directors of the Guide Association have said

Laos has seen a 2nd consecutive day of record COVID daily cases, hitting 1,170

The government hopes that the Lao Thiao Lao program will generate 1.8 million domestic visitors in 2022, and that the country can welcome more than 1 million international visitors. In H1 2020, 615,000 domestic tourists made trips, +3.9% YoY

The PM has ordered the country prepare for a full-scale reopening, stating that a comprehensive strategy must be developed. The Deputy PM reported that the hospitality industry had declined by 28.6%. It also plans to encourage investment into large-scale projects, including tourist attractions and hotels

The government is aiming to vaccinate at least 70% of its population in 2021, rather than 50%. To date, 38.38% are fully vaccinated, 44.78% are partially vaccinated

Laos has extended its restrictions until 14 Nov. Entertainment venues will remain closed across the country, as will tourist attractions. Schools should remain closed except for those with special conditions, and MICE with more than 50 pax attending is not permitted. Restaurants can continue with dine-in services, and retail shops and supermarkets can remain open. Travel between Vientiane and other provinces is permitted to resume for those who are fully vaccinated

Luang Prabang has eased some of its lockdown measures, including checkpoints across the city, and permitting residents to travel between districts and provinces if they are fully vaccinated

The Deputy Minister for Information, Culture, and Tourism has said that it will prioritise tourists from Vietnam, China and ASEAN for the reopening of the borders

Laos has not yet set a date for reopening to vaccinated international tourists, saying that “vaccination is the most important thing for our country at present”. If the country can vaccinate more than 50% of the population and the pandemic subsides, it could reopen to low risk COVID countries

The Tourism Ministry has requested permission to allow vaccinated South Koreans to enter Vientiane on luxury golf tour packages. This plan would see Lao Airlines, AirAsia, T’way Air and Jeju Air operate charter flights to Incheon airport, and travellers could undertake a 9-day golfing package. Tourists would be limited to one hotel and one restaurant, and they would be transferred between the hotel and golf course by private bus

The UNDP has launched the Tourism Recovery Roadmap in Lao PDR on 21 Oct, which plans a tourism recovery until 2025. A key part is building up the Lao Thiao Lao program, negotiate regional travel bubbles and a health program for the tourism industry

Laos’ Irrawaddy dolphins are on the point of extinction, with just 2 believed to be remaining in the Mekong River

The Boat Racing festival in Vientiane has been cancelled, as has the Fire Boat Festival

Inthira Group has signed an agreement with the Lao Development Bank for financing to develop sustainable tourism products. It will used to build visitor facilities in Vientiane province, the Rock Viewpoint at Phouphaman Mountain and ziplining at Khammouane province

The first passenger train to travel on the Laos-China railway has arrived into Laos

Laos has extended its COVID restrictions until 30 Oct

Laos is looking at using hotels as temporary field hospitals, to deal with the growing number of cases which are causing hospitals to fill up

The Laos-China railway will open on 2 Dec, but will focus on freight traffic first before being extended to transporting tourists

Luang Prabang City has entered into a full lockdown until 21 Oct, with residents banned from leaving their homes except for medical emergencies or essential tasks

Laos is hoping to issue its own digital currency in conjunction with a Japanese company, Soramitsu

A rice stack museum will be built in Xayaboury province, expected to be completed in 2023

Nakarath Travel forecasts that international MICE and group travel will take 2-3 months after any announcement on reopening is made

Laos has authorised the use of rapid antigen tests, which previously had been banned

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has revised down its 2021 GDP forecast for Laos to 2.3%, instead of the previous 4%. It noted that the planned opening of the Laos-China railway in Dec should boost economic recovery, but increasing development in tourism and agriculture is essential to advance the economy overall

90% of cases recorded on 23 Sep have been linked to a garment factory outbreak in Vientiane

Xieng Khouang province has been locked down from 20 Sep until 30 Sep, with travel into and out of the province banned

Vientiane changed its decision on the closure of supermarkets, small retailers and minimarts, permitting them to stay open from 21-30 Sep as normal

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has found that of 360 tourism businesses surveyed, 50% closed temporarily and 70% of workers were furloughed. It called for an immediate response to aid tourism businesses, including reopening in a responsible manner, and providing financial aid

The Deputy Mayor of Vientiane Capital has confirmed a lockdown in Vientiane from 19 Sep. Measures include all government and private offices should work from home until 30 Sep, residents are only permitted to leave their homes for essential trips, and individuals and vehicles are not permitted to travel to other provinces from Vientiane. Those in provinces outside of Vientiane with community transmission are not permitted to travel to the capital, either. All gatherings are banned, and shopping malls, night markets, tourist sites, resorts, guesthouses and restaurants must close

The Ministry of Health hopes that Laos could start to vaccinate more than 50% of its population by the end of 2021, and reopen the country, focusing on the opening of the Laos-China Railway, scheduled for 2 Dec

Laos has reported 467 cases, a record number, with 265 cases of community transmission in Vientiane Capital

Oudomxay province is planning to develop the Phu Ya Kha mountain and viewpoint, Ket stone forest, a stone bridge, Hin Pa Ya Ngu Yai rock and Pouphieng viewpoints into tourist attractions

Vientiane has restricted interprovincial travel for those entering the capital from high-risk provinces, including Champasack, Savannakhet, Khammouane, and Bokeo. Travellers entering who are permitted will need to quarantine for 2 weeks. Residents of the capital will also be banned from visiting provinces under Level 2 or 3 outbreak status unless authorised

Laos has extended its prevention measures for another 15 days until 30 Sep, with entertainment venues and tourist sites in areas with community transmission to remain closed. All schools across the country are to remain closed

Tourist and visitor visas will continue to not be issued for international travellers

There has been a local backlash against a Chinese real estate agent plan to build a 100m tall Buddha statue in the That Luang Marsh Special Economic Zone (SEZ)

Laos will offer multiple entry visas to people of Lao descent who live abroad

Many provinces have now reached Level 2 in Laos’ Alert Levels for community transmission, the second highest level, with some close to Level 3

A new spread of community cases in Luang Prabang is causing alarm

Vang Vieng will receive $8 million USD from a new project funded by the Asian Development Bank to improve its infrastructure. A new road will be built to the Kaeng Nyui Waterfall, which will allow shops and restaurants to be built for tourists to visit

Chinese developers are set to build a giant Buddha statue at That Luang Marsh Specific Economic Zone as a new cultural attraction

Laos is seeing a higher number of community cases than imported ones

Laos has tightened its lockdown restriction from 31 Aug-15 Sep. New measures include MICE is limited to less than 20 pax, tourist sites in areas of community spread must close, and entertainment sites must also remain closed

The Laos-China Railway is set to be a low-carbon railway

Vientiane Capital has added new restrictions from 31 Aug until further notice. Residents in red zones are not permitted to enter other provinces, and vice versa. All gatherings are banned throughout the city and road traffic is banned from 10pm-5am. All schools in the capital are to close

The EuroCham Laos held a roundtable meeting for the Hospitality and Tourism Sector. One of the initiatives that will be soon launched is a tourism conference in Luang Prabang

Laos is seeing a high number of locally transmitted cases, particularly in Savannakhet and Bokeo provinces

Visitors to Khammouane province have tripled during the Lao Thiao Lao campaign, with visits to nature adventure parks, zip lining and camping

The World Bank forecasts that Laos’ GDP in 2021 will grow by 3.6%, down from Mar’s 4% growth forecast. It noted that the falling value of the Kip is causing inflation, leading to worries and food and basic goods access

Laos has extended its lockdown measures until 2 Sep, after more community transmission. Pubs, bars, entertainment centres and contact sports remain banned, and entry into red zones is still banned except for authorised persons

Schools will reopen across the country from 1 Sep. Teachers are required to be fully vaccinated

Xanghai village in Pak-ou district’s village chief has said that when tourism dried up, “practically all of the businesses here died and now people have nothing to do”

Attapeu provincial government has said that it would lockdown the entire province after the first case of community infection was detected

The government has said that more donated vaccines from China will allow it to speed up its vaccination rollout, meeting its target of vaccinating 50% of the population by year-end. As of 8 Aug, 1.38 million had received their first dose and 1.23 million were fully vaccinated

The Laos-China Railway is set to officially open on 2 Dec, Laos National Day

The Ministry of Health will buy more vaccines in 2022, as the free vaccines via COVAX will end in 2021

Laos and Vietnam have held talks to strengthen cooperation, including in tourism

Laos now has 100 state quarantine centres across the country and 48 quarantine hotels

Laos has increased its state quarantine period from 14 to 28 days, following community transmission from those leaving 14-day quarantine. People entering Laos must undergo 14 days at a state level quarantine centre, then 14 days at a district level quarantine centre

245 Vientiane businesses have been severely impacted by COVID-19, with those providing tourism services the most impacted, the Vientiane Capital Planning and Investment Department has reported

Bokeo province has detected local transmission, particularly in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (SEZ). The zone went under lockdown from 30 Jul

Laos’ restrictions have been extended until 18 Aug, due to the large number of returning migrant workers and the unstable condition of its neighbours

The administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in Champassak province will be suspended for those aged 20-60 years old after significant side effects were reported

Vientiane has put certain villages under lockdown after community transmission was detected

Savannakhet has built a 10,000 bed quarantine centre to be able to accommodate migrant workers returning from Thailand

Laos reported a record case high of 280, with the vast majority being imported

The Ministry of Tourism has been instructed to start preparing for the reopening of tourism under the “new normal”, as well as the opening of the Laos-China Railway in Dec

The first completed station of the China-Laos railway in Phonhong made its debut showing

Champassak province will build a new park, Dok Champa, as part of the development of the Vat Phou World Heritage Site

The Lao PM has said that the lockdown must be extended due to the number of migrant workers returning from Thailand, with the risk of the Delta variant spreading

Laos has extended its lockdown measures for another 15 days, until 3 Aug. However, indoor and outdoors sports facilities in Vientiane and provinces with no outbreak may reopen, and higher education institutions in Vientiane may also reopen

Laos reported record cases of 170, all imported

Lao will develop the world’s largest hybrid floating solar energy project

Champasack province will develop the Dong Hua Sao National Bio-Diversity Conservation Area and the Xe Pian National Bio-Diversity Conservation Area into ecotourism areas. They are part of the National Green Growth Strategy

The Luang Prabang train station on the Laos-China Railway is set to be completed in Aug

91 of 93 new cases reported in Laos on 10 Jul were imported ones, with Laos workers returning from Thailand

Champasack province has been locked down until 20 Jul, with entertainment businesses closed and gatherings not permitted largely. Shopping malls and retails shops can remain open, as well as MICE in green zones

Laos has reported an increase in imported cases, with Delta and Kappa variants detected

A new contact tracing app, LaoKYC, has been launched which residents will need to install. It will be used to check in to locations, register for vaccination and register for COVID-19 tests

Laos will extend its lockdown measures until 19 Jul as the situation in neighbouring countries is still risky. Bars and entertainment centres will remain closed, as will indoor sports centres and all schools in Vientiane Capital. Entry in red zones is banned. Shopping malls can remain open, as can restaurants with dine-in services in green zones. MICE can be held in non-red zone areas. Transport in provinces with no cases is permitted with no quarantine, whilst those fully vaccinated who travel to/ from Vientiane Capital will be exempted from quarantine. Schools in provinces with no community transmission may open

Laos has detected the Kappa variant of the virus

The government has approved a new expressway to link Bokeo with Boten, effectively linking China with Thailand via Laos

Laos will conduct its first test on the railway between China and Laos in Aug

Laos reported just 1 case on 21 Jun, an imported one

Luang Prabang has reopened its historical and natural tourism sites, night markets and swimming pools. However, bars and entertainment venues must remain closed, and gatherings are not permitted

Laos has extended its lockdown measures until 4 Jul. Measures include pubs, spas and entertainment venues to remain closed, indoor sports centres to be closed, schools in Vientiane Capital to remain close and all factories in red zones to be closed. Entry to red zones is forbidden. Gatherings should not be held. Events which are held in non-red zones are permitted up to 50 attendees. Land and air transport between Vientiane Capital and other provinces without 14-day quarantine remains limited to those who are fully vaccinated. For provinces with no spread of COVID-19, schools and tourist sites are permitted to resume

All those who enter Laos, even fully vaccinated travellers, must undergo a 14-day quarantine

The Tad Fah Waterfall ecotourism project in Khounkham District is now 30% complete

The Nong Khang Airport in Houaphan Province is now 92% complete, but has been delayed thanks to the pandemic

A new cave has been discovered in Khammuan province. It is planned to develop it as a tourist attraction

The area around Nam Ngum 1 dam in Vientiane is being upgraded to make it more tourist-friendly

Compulsory quarantine will be implemented for those who have had close contact with COVID-19 patients

Laos’ cases have now exceeded over 2,000

The government has approved the Vientiane-Pakse Expressway Project, which will cut travel time just 7 hours from the current 10

The Lao Minister of Labour and Social Welfare has said that 114,000 Lao workers are unemployed

No COVID-19 cases were detected outside of Vientiane on 8 Jun

The lockdown in Laos will be extended until 19 Jun, but travel between Vientiane and other provinces may resume for pax who have been fully vaccinated, without a 14-day quarantine

The lockdown measures in Laos will be further eased. Restrictions in place until 19 Jun include the closure of all pubs, entertainment venues and tourist sites and schools in Vientiane. For those in red zones, residents will only be able to leave their homes for essential needs, and entry into red and yellow zones will not be permitted. Green zones will allow restaurants to operate dine-in services with social distancing measurers imposed, and schools in provinces with no transmission can reopen. Meetings and conferences can be held in non-red zones

: Laos has released its 2020 statistics on tourism. Some key results include: • 2020 international arrivals were 886,447, -81.5% YoY • 2020 revenue from tourism fell to $213.4 million USD, -77.2% YoY • 2020 domestic tourists were 1,581,100, -32.7% YoY • 2020 outbound Lao travellers was 706,904, -73.7% YoY • 2021 forecast for international tourist arrivals to Laos is 1,016,040 in 2021

Laos recorded zero local cases on 31 May

Authorities have allowed outdoor exercise in public parks during the lockdown

A report has shown that 84,418 people are unemployed and suffering severe financial problems due to the pandemic, with the majority of them in Vientiane

Laos is looking to speed up its vaccination process and has a current stock of 1.53 million doses, enough for 10.3% of the population. The next shipment is expected in Jun/ Jul

Community transmission is easing in Laos, with just 12 cases reported on 27 May. There remain 29 red zones across 6 districts in Vientiane Capital

Champasack, Savannakhet, and Khammouane provinces have eased their lockdown measures, with more freedom for residents

Xaysomboun Province welcomed 10,000 visitors from Jan-Sep 2020, generating almost $160,000 USD in revenue. Local authorities are permitting operators to look at developing tourist sites in the province

Vientiane has seen an increase in the number of unlinked locally transmitted cases

Districts in Laos will be divided into colour coded zones. Red zones will be for those areas with 1 or more cases where contact tracing is not possible, yellow zones where contact tracing is possible, and green zones for COVID-free areas. Red zones will see tourist attractions, casinos and beauty shops closed, and gatherings are not permitted. Residents may only leave their homes for essential purposes. For yellow and green zones, events may be held with a maximum of 10 people, and restaurants will be open for takeaway

The lockdown in Laos has been extended for 15 more days until 4 Jun, with more relaxed zoning restrictions. Interprovincial travel will be permitted once more between provinces without community outbreaks, and schools may open in areas which have had no outbreaks for 14 days

The Korean Airports Corporation will study the expansion of Luang Prabang International Airport, and once complete, will form a consortium worth $89 million USD to build it

Luang Prabang has imposed a 14-day quarantine when domestic travellers enter the province, as well as imposed testing regulations

The Crowne Plaza Vientiane and BIM Group have donated medical equipment and supplies worth 250 million LAK to the National Operations Centre

The Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism (MICT) has approved plans for tourism recovery, including extra funds, a tourism business development plan and multiple ways to promote domestic tourism once the outbreak is under control

The Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism (MICT) will propose that Lao should welcome international tourists from those countries which have no outbreaks

Laos has extended its lockdown measures for another 15 days, until 20 May as cases remain high

Laos has confirmed its first death due to COVID-19

The Lao Elephant Initiative has been providing funding and staff to establish a Feed the Elephants Project, to help care for elephants

The Laos government is looking to assist poor families affected by COVID-19

Unemployment has increased to 25%

90% of tourism businesses have been forced to close, the Minister of Tourism has said. The remaining 10% remain open for long-term guests. The government estimates that 637 hotels, 2,283 resorts and guesthouses, 539 tour companies, 36 travel agencies, 809 tourist attractions and 2,000 tour guides were impacted last year

Laos reported a decline in the number of new cases on 1 May, to 64. All provinces are under lockdown until 5 May

The ADB has forecast Laos’ 2021 GDP to grow by 4%, and by 4.5% in 2022

China will provide Laos with another batch of Sinopharm vaccines. Laos has now completed 102,310 first dose vaccinations

Luang Prabang has gone into lockdown from 25 Apr-5 May, along with 9 other provinces, including Vientiane Capital, Vientiane Province, Xieng Khouang, Xayaboury, Bolikhamxay, Bokeo, Phonsaly, Huaphan and Savannakhet

Laos confirmed 88 new cases on 24 Apr, the highest yet. The majority are in Vientiane Capital

7 provinces in Laos are now in lockdown: Vientiane Capital, Vientiane Province, Xieng Khouang, Xayaboury, Bolikhamxay, Bokeo, and Phongsaly. The strain circulating in Laos is the more infectious UK strain

Travel from Vientiane Capital to other provinces is banned, and the bus stations are temporarily closed. Gatherings must not exceed 20 people

Luang Prabang has now enforced a curfew, and will close all bars and sports facilities until further notice. Weddings and gatherings are banned. Restaurants and shops must close by 9pm, with no traffic after 10pm

All schools in Vientiane Capital will close

The PM has ordered a 14-day lockdown for Vientiane Capital from 22 Apr-5 May, after reporting over 20 new cases. Residents are banned for leaving home except for essential tasks, and entertainment venues will be closed. Hotels and resorts may operate, but only provide accommodation and food services

Saravan province has closed its tourist sites and entertainment venues, as well as mass gatherings and weddings

Luang Prabang railway station is now 65% complete

The authorities announced that Vientiane will not be going into lockdown following a locally transmitted case, but residents are being asked not to travel and all events and gatherings where social distancing cannot be maintained will be cancelled. All entertainment venues such as pubs will also be closed until the end of Apr

Laos has confirmed one new case of COVID-19, a woman who had been working in a Thai restaurant and returned to the country

The government has warned Laos residents to be vigilant against the virus and to get themselves vaccinated if possible

Laos is in mourning for the death of the former President Choummaly Sayasone’s wife and son, as well as 6 others, who died after a yacht capsized on Sunday

A Chinese casino owner is looking at developing tourism facilities in Laos’ Golden Triangle SEZ. Some locals are concerned about the implications for agriculture, as well as the potential of transforming the Plain of Jars into a tourist attraction for those taking a break from a casino

The Tourism Minister has said that Thailand and Singapore are discussing a travel bubble, and they are also looking at countries such as Vietnam and Laos. They hope to start travel bubbles in Oct

The Academy Training Hotel and Restaurant officially opened its restaurant on 1 Apr in Vang Vieng. It also runs a small hotel with 6 guest bedrooms, giving students the chance to get real-world experience

The Laos-China railway is now 80% complete, with final sections scheduled to be completed by May

Luang Prabang have changed their festivities planned for the New Year in light of the government’s orders. The official holiday will be cut to 14-16 Apr only, but outdoor celebrations and entertainment will be banned

The Southern Vientiane Railway Station should be complete by the end of 2021

Laos has instructed the public to celebrate the New Year (Bunpimay) without public gatherings, with all public events banned from 14-16 Apr. Cultural performances are also banned, as is water throwing

The government, Lao Handicrafts Association and cultural heritage stakeholders have met to protect Laos’ traditional designs

The government will address 7 urgent issues over the next 5 years as part of its National Socio-Economic Development Plan for 2021-25. The government wants to attract more investment, focus on human resource development and reduce disparities between urban and rural areas

Luang Prabang have released a schedule for Bunpimay celebrations, including an elephant procession, traditional market fair and a grand procession

The fee structure for tests has been updated, with tourists and international residents paying more for voluntary tests, whilst civil servants, students and emergency medical cases would pay less

Laos has elected a new President, Thongloun Sisoulith, and new Prime Minister, Dr. Phankham Viphavanh

The Four Thousand Islands New Area in Champasak province is hoping to build a town with resorts and leisure facilities which will attract 2.3 million visitors annually by 2030 and 15 million by 2050

Luang Namtha is reopening its tourism sites under the Lao Thiao Lao campaign. The province plans to partners with a local company to build adventure activities, a resort, guesthouse and restaurant at Tad Namdee waterfall. It welcomed 147,000 visitors in 2020, -80% YoY

36% of SMEs have permanently closed or are on the brink of collapse, according to the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It noted that around 25% of the country’s 100,000 SMEs work in tourism

Khammuan province have seen some tourists from the Lao Thiao Lao program, although spending does not equal that generated by international tourists

36 endangered species have been identified in the Nakai-Nam Theun National Park in Laos

The Sangthong-Xanakham road is 50% complete

63,000 people are estimated to be unemployed in Laos, including migrant workers who returned to the country

The Lao Hotel and Restaurant Association has requested that the government lower its VAT from 10% to 5% to aid recovery. The Ministry of Tourism is preparing a new plan for the continued rollout of the Lao Thiao Lao domestic tourism scheme, asking for 3 billion kip to support advertising, as well as make the campaign a national effort to encourage more public and private participation

UNESCO has reportedly requested that a planned hydropower dam near to Luang Prabang be inspected, in case it puts the UNESCO site at risk

Laos may graduate from Least Developed Country status by 2026

Borikhamxay province will hold a food festival and convoy to promote its tourism attractions, as part of the Lao Thiao Lao campaign. The province’s target is to attract 100,000 visitors in 2021. Last year, 100,000 people visited, a drop of 50% vs 2019

Nam Et Phou Louey National Park has signed on 154 households in 4 new villages to provide ecotourism activities. These households will be trained on wildlife conservation, as well as different services such as handicrafts, porters, housekeeping, homestays, etc

The Phasad Heuanhin (stone house) in Xayphouthong district is becoming more popular with tourists. As part of the Lao Thiao Lao campaign, it organised a convoy to explore different areas of interest in the province from 27-28 Feb. In 2020, 144,000 people visited the province, -82% YoY

Laos will now require all travellers entering the country to purchase COVID-19 insurance, as well as wear a health tracking device. The insurance will cost approx. $100 USD for 14 days

The World Bank approved a $57 million USD project, Lao Landscapes and Livelihoods Project, which will focus on sustainable forest management and nature-based tourism

Luang Prabang launched the 555 campaign to encourage domestic tourism as part of the Lao Thiao Lao campaign. The authorities plan to improve tourist attraction amenities, as well as information systems. In 2020, it welcomed 275,647 visitors, a drop of 68% YoY

The National University of Laos launched its Bachelor of Arts in tourism in French program

Luang Prabang railway station is now 45% complete, and is expected to be finished in Oct

The Let’s Travel event promoting domestic tourism took place at Vientiane Center

The Vientiane-Vang Vieng Expressway has 120 days to resolve some urgent problems, including overcharging at tolls

Central Laos including Vientiane, Borikhamxay, Khammuan, Savannakhet, Xaysomboun, are planning a range of events to stimulate tourism from 2021-2023, as part of the Lao Thiao Lao campaign. It will include fam trips for reporters and companies, upgrading of tourist facilities, training for SME staff and encouraging links between Vientiane and 5 provinces

Laos’ 2020 visitor numbers dropped by 81% YoY

A 43.5km road in Champassak has opened to public traffic, running around the perimeter of Don Khong, the largest island in southern Laos

Vientiane is creating a new district, and authorities are now preparing to build infrastructure such as office buildings

Savannakhet will partner with other southern provinces to arrange tours as part of the Lao Thiao Laos campaign. It will highlight the local ethnic groups, as well as their way of life. 2020 saw 144,000 visitors in total, a drop of 82% YoY

The Lao Food Festival 2021 will be held in Vientiane at the end of Feb, promoting traditional Lao food and lifestyle

Laos has received a new batch of 300,000 doses of Sinopharm

The Ministry of Tourism has stressed that more improvements are needed in the tourism industry to support Laos’ socio-economic development

Southern Laos Tourism has launched a new promotional video, filmed by Discover Laos Today

UniqTek will partner with the state sector to teach government employees how to use high tech survey equipment to locate and survey heritage sites. This can be used to develop and improve tourist sites to attract more visitors

Xieng Khuang province’s tourism sector are still making losses, with very few guests. Local tourism stakeholders say that promoting local cultural events will help domestic tourism. In 2020, it welcomed 64,789 visitors, a drop from 2019’s 147,294 pax. 42,851 in 2020 were domestic tourists. The authorities expect 78,511 in 2021, 55,000 locals and the remaining international visitors. They are also working to develop cultural tourism sites

Laos will support ASEAN’s plans to revive tourism, focusing on restoring capacity building between ASEAN, as well as links between ASEAN and Laos, ASEAN and Russia and other international organisations

The government is looking at incoming air pax to wear an “out smart” bracelet which will track their movements and contacts

The Kapok festival in Tonpheung district, Bokeo province, has been cancelled for the 2nd year in a row

Laos has seen more than 21.7 million international visitors from 2016-2020, an increase of 17.7% vs the previous five years. The Ministry of Tourism has said that more needs to be done, including strengthening land and air routes to targeted markets, as well as developing facilities at tourist attractions. They also said that their current marketing campaigns were not attractive enough and had missed many of the target markets. The number of hotels has increased by 4%, guesthouses and resorts by 3.6% and tour operators by 9.1%

WeAreLao will soft launch its “Sustainable Tourism Laos: Showcase” campaign on 8 Feb, to promote Laos as a sustainable destination

Chom Ong cave in Oudoxmay province has been officially opened. It is said to be one of the longest in SE Asia at 16km

Champassak province has received just 117,000 visitors in 2020, down 90% YoY, but it continues to try to revive tourism and upgrade visitor attractions. Oudomxay province recorded 100,000 visitors, a drop of 40% YoY in 2020. The province is also looking to speed up improvements to its accommodation and organise new activities to attract visitors

Attapeu Province is preparing lockdown if necessary after a case was detected in Champasack province

The Vat Phou festival in Champassak province has been downsized

Bokeo province’s Golden Triangle SEZ has been placed under a 2-week lockdown until 25 Jan after a Chinese worker tested positive

The Phathat Sikhottabong festival in Khammuan province from 26-29 Feb will be scaled down. Last year, 300,000 visitors came to the province, a drop of 30% YoY

The Skills for Tourism Project have developed 2 guides to help vocational colleges, the “Good Practice Guide for Internships” and the “Education Enterprise Engagement Manual”

The 15th Elephant Festival in Xayaboury will be scaled down and held on just 1 day, 13 Feb

Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy National Protected Area in southern Laos will become a national park soon, and the private sector will be encouraged to develop ecotourism projects to generate income for locals, as well as to protect the forest

Centara will open 2 new resorts in Vang Vieng, Laos, the Centra by Centara Riverside Resort Vang Vieng and the Thavisouk Riverside Resort & Spa Vang Vieng

Viengxay’s tourism facilities remain open, even though there are few visitors. The province aims to promote itself as a green destination

The National University of Laos has launched a new curriculum which will held the teaching of French and subjects related to tourism

The Laos-China Railway has now completed 242km of track, and is expected to complete the tracks by May 2021

Laos is targeting $3.8 billion USD for the tourism industry over the next 5 years, with 15 million visitors once the pandemic is under control. If Laos does not have enough vaccines, it will aim for $1.5 billion USD and 6 million arrivals. The number of international arrivals to Laos in 2020 was estimated to be 980,000

Laos’ unemployment rate grew to 20% in 2020, a 10.6% increase vs 2017

Laos’ current PM, Thoungloun Sisoulith, has been elected Laos’ new secretary general during the 3-day congress

Several provinces are benefiting from the Lao Thiao Lao tourism campaign, with Oudomxay reporting 3,000 people visiting the province. Champassak province has also earned more revenue during the campaign

Laos has affirmed 6 new targets under the 9th Socio-economic Development Plan for 2021-2025: maintain steady economic growth, ensure people are better qualified with training, improve people’s living conditions, strengthen infrastructure and enhance efficiency of state management

Pakxong district in Champassak province is having a new urban design plan implemented

Vangvieng will speed up the development of its services and facilities, as well as add more activities at tourist sites

The Laos-China Railway stations should have their final embellishments in Mar/ Apr, ahead of the opening in Dec

Phu Bia Mountain will be developed as a sustainable tourist attraction, with the development of the site valued ay $500 million USD. It will include homestays, climbing, cycling and a 5* hotel

Visitors to Luang Prabang were down 68% YoY in 2020, with just 257,647 visitors. 142,435 were foreigners, whilst 133,212 were domestic

Vientiane is planning to develop smart zones in the city, aiming to make the city more liveable

Vang Vieng saw a fall of 60% in its visitors in 2020, and are aiming to attract 300,000 visitors in 2021. Despite the newly opened highway from Vientiane, occupancy remains high on the weekends only

The National Eld’s Deer Sanctuary in Savannakhet Province is now open for tourists to stay overnight, with a forest tour and activities

Construction of a 5th bridge linking Laos and Thailand has begun

Luang Prabang is set to build a new park in the city, adding more green space

Laos has received 2,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine from China, and has already started to vaccinate 200 volunteers as the 1st phase of its trials. Russia has also said it will provide 500 doses of the Sputnik V in early Jan

Bokeo has eased its travel restrictions to reduce the impact on tourism and the economy

The China-Laos railway tracks have now been extended from Vientiane to Luang Prabang

Vientiane plans 30 large-scale developments from now until 2025 to accelerate economic growth. Projects include a new international airport in Xaythany district, commercial parks and tourism-related projects

There have been concerns raised over the safety of the main ferry operating between Luang Prabang and Chomphey District

20% of Laos’ population is expected to be vaccinated by mid-2021, with at-risk groups prioritised. They will receive the vaccine in Apr through COVAX

A proposed Lao PDR Tourism Recovery Roadmap has been released, concluding that “it is unrealistic that domestic tourism in the short term, will provide the cash flow to tourism businesses.” It suggest the reactivation of a national tourism board, as well as Intensify collaboration between the private sector and the government, deploy tourism loan packages, support tourism SME campaigns, facilitate infrastructure investments and strengthen the brand

The fee structure for tests has now been adjusted, with foreigners, tourists and those planning to travel abroad for work being charged 1,200,000 LAK and hospital patients, civil servants and Lao students 50,000 LAK

The Vientiane – Vang Vieng expressway has now officially opened

Luang Prabang authorities have cancelled New Year celebrations, as well as Hmong and Khmu traditional festivals over fears of an outbreak

Laos is considering the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, after its certification in Russia

The Vang Vieng Music Fest has now been rescheduled, after the recent cancellation of the Vientiane International Marathon and the Foton Vientiane Half Marathon

Authorities are strengthening COVID-19 prevention measures in Bokeo province, with activities which require a large crowd to be banned

The government has said that Laos is at risk of a second wave due to the situations in neighbouring countries

The Vientiane – Vang Vieng Expressway will open on 20 Dec

Laos is looking to focus on ecotourism and agritourism in 2021 to attract more foreign visitors from 2021 to 2025. The government has said that a wider variety of tourism products and activities must be available. The country’s Jan-Sep international visitors were down 74% YoY. One of the major challenges Laos faces is that road access to tourism sites is inadequate, and air and transport also remains unsatisfactory

The Skills for Tourism Project, a scheme to help Lao youth with vocational training for tourism, continues to be successful, even in the face of COVID-19

Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos leaders approved the Tourism Development Plan for CLV Development Triangle Area 2020-2025, vision for 2030. This involves 13 provinces across the 3 countries being linked for tourism development, improving the quality of ecotourism, agrotourism, community-based tourism, adventure tourism and heritage

Laos has locked down Ton Pheung District in Bokeo Province after 2 Chinese nationals infected with COVID-19 entered illegally

The Vientiane to Vang Vieng expressway’s opening was delayed from its original 2 Dec date, to late Dec

Laos has extended its COVID-19 prevention protocols until 31 Dec, but will still allow in principle religious ceremonies, festivals, and entertainment venues

Laos will suspend charter flights which are experiencing an outbreak of COVID-19. They will allow humanitarian flights, but passengers will not be able to transit through countries with COVID-19 outbreaks. It will continue to suspend its tourist visas until the end of the year

The Laos-China railway is scheduled to open in Dec 2021, but it may face delays due to villagers residing in areas allocated for the project, parts being stolen and illegal bridges being built over the tracks

Laos’ hotel quarantine procedures have come under scrutiny, as sometimes people had contact with friends whilst in hotel quarantine, but it was not reported to health authorities. People staying in government-approved hotels must pay for their own stay

The Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism and Amazing Lao Sole Co., Ltd are partnering to boost sustainable tourism, planning a tourism consulting company who will provide advice to businesses considering investing in tourism. They also want to improve the standards of tourism workers, as well as develop a tourism marketing plan. They will run a tourism information campaign for both local and international tourists

Vang Vieng has had over 1.1 million visitors over the last 5 years, of which 700,000 were foreigners

Luang Prabang’s tourism industry has been hugely affected, with many hotels, restaurants and vars still closed

A committee has been formed by tourism businesses to create an event, “12 days in Luang Prabang”, with the goal to attract domestic tourists over Christmas and the New Year

The government has approved the Vang Vieng – Luang Prabang expressway, which will be 137km long and considerably reduce the travel time from 4-5 hours to just 90 mins

Laos has been added to the UK government’s travel corridor list

Vangvieng has launched a new Academy Training Hotel and Restaurant which will be used for students enrolled on tourism and hospitality courses. It is expected to support 90 students per year

Laos has allowed bars and karaoke venues to reopen, but will continue other COVID-19 measurements until 31 Dec

The Laos government is discussing travel policies with Vietnam and Japan, as well as other ASEAN countries. It will suspend tourist visas and keep borders closed until 31 Dec

Tourism entrepreneurs have called for the government to support them, suspending interest payments if possible

Vietnam and Laos have held bilateral talks where they discussed a need to reopen travel between the 2 of them and restart commercial flights, amongst other issues

Laos’ agreement for a fast-track immigration with China will begin on 1 Nov – Chinese nationals will need to test negative on arrival and to have been quarantined for 14 days in China prior to departure, as well as 48 hours on arrival in Laos. They will be permitted to enter via the Boten border gate, but it is a one-way agreement, with Laotians not permitted to enter China. A fast-track entry for Vietnam is expected to open a week later

Laos expects a 3.3% growth in GDP in 2020, despite COVID-19

Laos is set to start a fast-track immigration with China next week. Chinese nationals will have a shorter quarantine time (duration still under discussion), and they will be permitted to quarantine at home. They may also implement electronic devices to monitor the places which the travellers visit. They would also need to have a test prior to departure and on arrival. The same policy would later also apply to citizens from countries with no community cases

Luang Prabang will invest into visitor facilities at attractions, as well as a promotional domestic tourism campaign. The upgrades to attractions will in some cases include facilities for disabled travellers. It will also run a cycling tour with 200 cyclists to promote sustainable tourism. Luang Prabang has received 420,000 tourists this year, down 64% from its target

The planning of a new Special Economic Zone in Vang Vieng has now completed its feasibility study. It will include natural tourism sites to attract international visitors and expects to create 27,800 jobs

The That Luang Festival in Vientiane will be smaller this year, focusing on religious traditions rather than carnivals, market stalls and performances

The Luang Prabang Film Festival will take place virtually this year from 4-10 Dec

The National Taskforce will allow returning residents to complete quarantine in their homes or places of employment instead of designated centres. They must first wait 48 hours on arrival for their test results to come back negative. Tour groups must carry certification of a 14-day pre-flight quarantine, and a negative test result to be allowed entry

Tourism businesses are cutting their prices to make travel more affordable for local Laotians. The Luang Prabang Chamber of Commerce and Industry has said that in some cases, prices have reduced by more than 3 times, as well as extra perks. An initial survey showed that region’s tourism businesses had lost $20 million USD

China and Laos discussed a fast-track immigration policy, allowing Chinese tourists certain privileges, particularly for diplomatic, technical and essential workers, during a trip from the Chinese Foreign Minister to Laos

The Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism will ensure talented young people are put up for promotion

A 5-day media fam trip is being run to promote the Lao Thiao Lao domestic tourism campaign. It will uncover destinations throughout the country in northern Oudomxay and Luang Prabang provinces

The government has stressed that entertainment venues should remain closed, and that strict compliance with prevention measures is still necessary

Tour operators who wish to bring in tour groups to the country from destinations with no community outbreak of COVID-19 must seek permission from the Taskforce Committee

Zipline and bridges are being build at Phou Pha Marn, to develop the destination into a visitor attraction. Cabins and treehouses will also be built

China has opened an additional expressway to the Lao border to strengthen regional connectivity

The Lao National Museum opened in its new location on 6 Oct

Nakai-Nam Theun National Park is being looked at as a model for ecotourism in Laos

The cabinet has agreed to holding the annual festival to celebrate the end of Buddhist Lent. The government also announced that the closure of entertainment and karaoke venues will continue until 31 Oct

The government has agreed in principle to allow tour groups to visit Laos from countries where there are no community cases. It has also agreed in principle to resume charter flights with countries that have no outbreak. They are also continuing discussions with China and Vietnam for fast-track immigration policies. Quarantine will also be relaxed for those arriving from countries with no community outbreak, who will only need to be tested and wait 48 hours for the results – they will then be able to quarantine at home or in a place arranged by their employer. A basic fee for tests will also be implemented

Security has been increased for the Boat Racing Festival this weekend

Hundreds of foreigners are still stuck in Laos

The Boat Racing Festival in Vientiane will take place this year, but at a smaller scale to usual, from 1-3 Oct

Lao Airlines has now introduced new freight prices, to give people more choice

Luang Prabang’s hotels have lowered rates to attract domestic tourists

Laos has seen its rating by Fitch drop from B- to CCC, indicating that it faces a substantial credit risk, and that default is a possibility. Sovereign nations do not typically have CCC ratings

The Eastin Hotel Vientiane Laos is set to open in Q4 2021

The first train station along the Laos – China railway has been completed, the Nateuy Station

The Vientiane – Vang Vieng expressway is expected to open in Dec

Huayxai airport expansion is 60% complete and scheduled for completion mid-2021

The Lao Thiao Lao (Laos travel Lao) was launched on 11 Sep, with public and private ministries co-financing a tourism marketing campaign. It will be predominantly online, focused on inspiring younger travellers’ sense of adventure

Vietnam expects to resume commercial flights to Laos and Cambodia from 22 Sep. Passengers will need to have a negative certificate prior to departure, and will be tested on arrival twice. Foreign passengers will need to pay for all quarantine and testing, as well as install the app Bluezone

STR has revealed that whilst Laos hotels have not returned to high occupancy levels, the trend is at least positive

Chomphet and Pak-ou districts in Luang Prabang have now completed infrastructure improvements to help tourism promotion

The Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism has said that the growth of domestic tourism has not been strong, but he is optimistic that if factories resume work, increasing employment, that people will travel more. He also said that the private sector needs to develop new tourism products

The Vat Meuang Kang temple in Champassak province will be renovated to attract more tourists. It is thought to be the oldest active temple in Laos

Laos has tested over 40,000 people since Jan, the Ministry of Health has revealed

The Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry has said that the slump in tourism was affecting both businesses but also potential income for local people. If the outbreak continues, it could lose more than $500 million USD in tourism revenue, equivalent to 2.7% GDP. H1 saw international visitors decline by 60% YoY

COVID-19 will increase the poverty levels due to job losses and rising costs. Unemployment is set to increase to 20% in 2020

Laos’ inflation remains high, according to the Laos Statistics Bureau, at 5.12%

The Lao Thiew Lao campaign has now launched its own Facebook page dedicated to showcasing the country and offer from the tourism industry

Laos and Japan have agreed to open their borders to one another for expatriate and long-term residents as early as Sep. Travellers must stay at home or at a designated place after arriving for 14 days. Laotian students with Japanese government scholarships will also be allowed entry as soon as possible. Japan also pledged $18 million USD to refurbish schools in Laos. They will also speed up talks to allow essential business travel

Laos’ Hin Nam Ho Karst National Protection Area hopes to gain UNESCO World Heritage status by 2022, as a trans-boundary extension to the World Heritage Site of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in Vietnam

The launch of a new Hmong culture park at the end of Nov is anticipated, with 80% of construction already completed. It will include a camping ground, restaurant serving local fare and an experience of the Hmong culture

Nakai-Nam Theun National Park will join the IUCN Global Green List, meaning that its nature conservation efforts are recognised under an international standard

: Lower and upper secondary school students are being urged to apply for tourism and hospitality courses at Technical Vocational Education Training institutions. All educational offerings have been compiled into one Facebook page, as part of a national online campaign to highlight the benefits of working in the industry, as it is one of the priority sectors for the Laotian government

The US has added Laos to its list of “very low risk” destinations for COVID-19, lifting its Do Not Travel advisory for the country

Laos has detected another 2 imported cases of COVID-19

Lao Zoo is being renovated to include a wildlife education program and upgraded animal enclosures, and will be open in 2021

Ecotourism in Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park in Northern Laos is proving to be a model for ecotourism in the country, as it supports 2,000 households

Laos is considering implementing fast-tracks for Vietnam and China. According to reports, this could allow certain individuals, such as diplomatic staff, technical experts and foreign labour to enter with the waiving of the 14-day quarantine period

62 tour guides have qualified from the government’s training programme

LaoBuild 2020, Lao Food & Hotel 2020 and LaoCafe 2020 exhibitions have all been postponed to 17-19 Jun 2021

Exo Travel and Lao Airlines have partnered to create great deals for the domestic market under the Lao Thiew Laos campaign

Laos has now suspended all chartered flights as well as scheduled flights until 31 Aug, with tourist visas remaining suspended. Lockdown measures will also be extended until 31 Aug

The launch of the new Heritage Line luxury cruise ship Anouvong has been postponed to 2021

Laos’s international arrivals dropped by 60% YoY to just 886,447 visitors for H1. Unemployment levels in general has increased to 25%

Achieving the initial target of 4.7 million international arrivals is now impossible in 2020, according to the government. The Tourism Marketing Department will hold a workshop to discuss with local operators the Laos visit Lao domestic tourism campaign

Laos has detected its 20th case of COVID-19, this time from a quarantined Korean business traveller. Authorities are calling it a one-off, and not evidence of community transmission

Tour guides in Luang Prabang are being badly affected, as whilst tourism is returning and tourists are booking hotels, guest houses and visiting local attractions, locals do not feel the need to book a guide

Japan announced that it is looking at relaxing entry restrictions for business travellers from 12 Asian territories, including Singapore, Cambodia, Brunei, Malaysia, Myanmar and Laos from SE Asia. Travellers would still need to self-quarantine for 14-days, pass a COVID test and not take public transportation

Vientiane has revised its target for international tourists to 685,600 from an initial 2 million. H1 recorded 485,600 visitors

Laos is keeping its borders closed to foreigners, and will only allow foreign technical experts, diplomats, medical tourists and students to travel out from the country

Cambodia is constructing new checkpoints along the Cambodia-Thailand-Lao PDR border areas

Champassak region has received just 100,000 domestic and international tourists in H1. It targeted receiving 1 million visitors this year

A new border gate may be opened between Laos’ Attapeu Province and Cambodia’s Ratanakiri Province, and officials say that this could strengthen tourism as currently there is no road connecting the province with Laos

14 Jul: The ADB has released a brief on the state of tourism enterprises within Laos, with some key findings: • Half of enterprises surveyed were temporarily closed in May 2020 • 78% of tourism businesses in Louangphabang were closed • 70% of businesses had reduced employees, with number of employees falling by 38% • Larger enterprises who primarily served the international markets have been worse affected • The majority of tourism businesses favoured tax relief (84.8%) and cash transfers (68.7%). 63.5% also believed that entry fees for attractions should be waived for 1 year >>

The Tad Tontaen waterfall in Borikhamxay province will be developed as a natural tourism attraction, as a feasibility study is underway

Xaysomboun will develop new tourist sites, with developers planning a new site in Anouvong District which would cost around $500 million USD. Environmental conservation measures would also be taken into account

Laos and Vietnam have committed to cooperate with each other, pledging to open air routes at the earliest possible time

The building of the Vientiane Station on the Laos-China Railway started on 3 Jul

A “Lao Visit Laos” scheme is being rolled out to encourage domestic tourism. It will start in Jul and be run by the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Hotel and Restaurant Association. Their aim is to make information readily available online about attractions, accommodation and restaurants. It will be a permanent project

The government confirmed that international borders will be closed except to Lao citizens and foreigners with good reason, and tourist and visitor visas will continue to be suspended. They will also relax further some lockdown restrictions, with sports competitions, casinos and some social gatherings to be allowed to resume, so long as guidelines are followed on COVID-19 prevention. Entertainment venues, such as karaoke bars, and gaming shops, will remain closed

Laos has seen full bookings for Vang Vieng from domestic tourists travelling from Vientiane

Tourist numbers dropped by 17% from Jan-May, with just 886,440 tourists. The number of people using air and ground transport dropped by more than 90%. Arrivals from China dropped 16%, whilst from Thailand dropped 5%

The government will introduce more measures to encourage domestic travel, focusing on removing impediments to travel, standards of transportation and renovation of tourism sites in a draft plan. Tourism earnings of $450,000 USD were lost in Jan – Feb 2020

Chao Anouvong Park will be renovated to attract more tourists

The Xieng Khouang Airport administration and operations has been handed over to the Lao Armed Forces. It will continue to work with the Department of Civil Aviation to develop the airport and increase passenger numbers

The Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone has proposed building a $150 million USD international airport, capable of receiving A320 and B737 aircraft. If approved, building could take just 18 months

Champassak province embarked on a program to attract more domestic tourists

Champassak and Savannakhet provinces will benefit from a new joint project to preserve its heritage, with the CHAMPA project to boost their positions as tourist destinations

Employers can register with the Lao Social Security Organisation (LSS) to request financial assistance for unemployed or reduced working days staff. This would provide up to 60% support of their salary

Laos is facing surges in the price for essential foods

Xaysomboun may soon have new tourism sites after a government meeting. The first phase from 2020-2025 will see hiking, zip lining, camping and mountain climbing activities developed

More tourism sites may be established in Oudomxay, with 5 new sites under consideration

Laos has declared victory over COVID-19 as all confirmed cases are discharged from hospital and no new cases have been detected for 59 days

The Chom Ong caves in Oudomxay will open soon to tourists

The Myanmar Deputy Minister of Hotels and Tourism said that the Myanmar government will work together with Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam to introduce regional tourism, with the 4 countries signing an agreement to ease border access between them, although specific details have not yet been released

All school classes will resume on 15 Jun. From 2 Jun, night markets, restaurants and cinemas can reopen

Students, Lao citizens, experts and diplomats are allowed to enter and exit Laos with authorisation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Laos and China will organise joint training courses for tourism workers, teaching tour guides basic Chinese and developing skills so that Chinese tourists can have their needs met. They also agreed to bolster 2-way tourism

Laos and China will organise joint training courses for tourism workers, teaching tour guides basic Chinese and developing skills so that Chinese tourists can have their needs met. They also agreed to bolster 2-way tourism

The Lao tourism board may be established again, according to the President of the LNCCI, in a webinar hosted by Austcham Lao PDR

Authorities announced they will start to reopen international borders with neighbouring countries (China, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand), but foreigners would only be permitted to enter should they have the appropriate authorisation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Domestic travel is now permitted in Laos

Laos eased its lockdown restrictions from 15 May. Businesses and government agencies are allowed to reopen from 18 May, and transport and interprovince movement is allowed again. Schools will be reopened from 18 May in phases. Indoor and outdoor sporting activities are allowed to take place. However, night markets, beer shops, nightclubs, karaokes, casinos and cinemas will remain closed. Gatherings for weddings and cultural events are limited to 50 pax

Laos will allow restaurants, shopping centres, retail and service businesses to reopen on Mon 04 May, but people must wear face masks outside and keep social distancing. This will continue until 17 May, but should new infections be detected in 2 provinces, lockdown will be implemented once more

Laos’ Q1 domestic and foreign visitors totalled 886,440, representing a 17% downturn YoY, with more than $450,000 USD lost in the first two months of 2020

The Lao Hotel and Restaurant Association met with the government to convey their concerns and issues, many of which will take a long time to resolve

Lockdown extended by 14 days until 03 May

Tourism businesses will have a tax deferral for 3 months from April, the government announced, as part of fiscal measures to help the economy

Laos will be under lockdown, with international and interprovincial borders closed to all travellers from 30 Mar to 19 Apr

Laos could lose up to $20 - 25 million USD from travel cancellations. However, this is likely to increase if other tourists also stop visiting the country