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Tourism in Laos

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Guest houses in Luang Prabang.

Tourism in Laos has become an important part of the economy of Laos. In 2024, tourist numbers topped 5 million, contributing over US$1 billion to the economy.[1] Tourism is governed by a ministry-level government agency, the Lao National Tourism Administration (LNTA).

Tourism is the third largest source of foreign income for the Laos government, behind only mining and electricity generation. In 2019, 4.79 million international tourists visited Laos, spending US$931 million, representing 9.1% of the Lao economy, and created employment for 300,000 people.[2]

The top four sources of international tourists in 2019 were Thailand (45%), China (21.3%), Vietnam (19.3%) and South Korea (4.2%).[2]

The Laos-China Railway has facilitated the entry of more tourists, particularly from China, into Laos, as well as making transport easier between Vientiane, Vang Vieng, and Luang Prabang. The railway opened in 2021, and cross-border service between Laos and China began in 2023. Compared to its neighbour Thailand, Laos is a comparatively more difficult country to enter by air, especially via long-haul air routes. In 2024, there were over 46 million airline seats to Thailand, but less than 1.8 million going to Laos. These services typically enter from China or Thailand, meaning visitors rarely travel only to Laos, but combine their trip with visits to neighbouring countries as well, due to the need to transit through them to reach Laos.[3]

Statistics

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Annual statistics

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Year Tourist Arrivals Change Source
2020 886,447 Decrease 81.5%[1] [4]
2019 4,791,065 Increase14.4% [2]
2018 4,186,432 Increase 8.2% [5]
2017 3,868,838 Decrease 8.7% [6]
2016 4,239,047 Decrease 9.5% [7]
2015 4,684,429 Increase 12.6% [8]
2014 4,158,719 Increase 10.0% [9]
2013 3,779,490 Increase 13.5% [10]
2012 3,330,072 Increase 22.3%
2011 2,723,564 Increase 8.4%
2010 2,513,028 Increase 25.1%
2009 2,008,363 Increase 15.6%
2008 1,736,787 Increase 6.9%
2007 1,623,943 Increase 33.6%
2006 1,215,106 Increase 10.9%
2005 1,095,315 Increase 22.4%
2004 894,806 Increase 40.6%
2003 636,361 Decrease 13.5%[2]
2002 735,662 Increase 9.2%
2001 673,823 Decrease 8.6%[3]
2000 737,208 Increase 20.8%
1999 614,278 Increase 22.8%
1998 500,200 Increase 8.0%
1997 463,200 Increase 14.9%
1996 403,000 Increase16.3%
1995 346,460 Increase 137.0%
1994 146,155 Increase 42.0%
1993 102,946 Increase 17.6%
1992 87,571 Increase 132.8%
1991 37,613 Increase 161.2%
1990 14,400 -

Notes:

1.^ COVID-19 pandemic.
2.^ SARS epidemic
3.^ September 11 attacks

International visitor arrivals

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Rank Country 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008
1  Thailand* 350,103 2,160,300 1,929,934 1,797,803 2,009,605 2,321,352 2,043,761 2,059,434 1,937,612 1,579,941 1,517,064 1,274,064 891,448
2  Vietnam* 186,180 924,875 867,585 891,643 998,400 1,187,954 1,108,332 910,164 705,596 561,586 431,011 296,763 351,384
3  China 138,466 1,022,727 705,833 639,185 545,493 511,436 422,440 245,033 199,857 150,791 161,854 128,226 105,852
4  South Korea 40,210 203,191 174,405 170,571 173,260 165,328 96,085 81,799 53,829 34,707 27,312 17,876 18,065
5  United States 18,116 61,184 49,178 38,765 58,094 63,058 61,460 61,608 53,380 50,092 49,782 39,339 54,717
6  France 15,509 44,416 39,315 36,760 54,953 55,151 52,146 52,411 46,903 44,399 44,844 31,775 39,077
7  Japan 11,085 41,736 38,985 32,064 49,191 43,826 44,877 48,644 42,026 37,883 34,076 28,081 31,569
8  United Kingdom 11,592 31,976 26,801 27,723 39,170 41,508 39,061 41,741 35,964 35,622 37,272 27,044 36,038
9  Germany 8,632 25,346 22,915 23,776 34,018 31,897 29,800 29,250 23,417 21,280 22,583 17,710 25,191
10  Australia 7,271 24,750 19,607 20,886 33,077 34,665 44,964 35,441 33,878 31,874 30,538 24,209 28,180
11  Malaysia* 5,800 28,321 26,002 19,114 24,391 24,095 24,312 26,035 22,785 17,702 15,427 13,816 15,625
12  Canada 4,638 12,873 10,759 13,467 19,315 19,785 19,096 17,132 16,744 14,422 13,637 10,955 14,695
13  Philippines* 3,679 17,187 10,826 10,168 16,750 16,709 15,179 16,318 14,281 11,847 10,341 8,331 12,647
14  Cambodia* 5,012 28,342 18,908 15,108 16,536 20,625 15,342 12,180 15,140 7,561 6,908 7,530 5,482
15  Taiwan 1,714 6,956 4,823 4,329 14,005 6,131 5,478 4,771 3,996 5,029 3,346 2,519 2,665
16  Russia 3,144 12,054 8,963 10,986 13,033 12,532 13,340 11,649 8,642 7,019 4,835 2,861 3,206
17   Switzerland 2,921 8,512 9,749 7,956 10,603 9,777 9,064 10,586 10,096 9,710 8,622 5,827 6,526
18  Italy 2,751 7,330 6,198 7,537 10,052 8,990 9,710 8,822 6,289 6,977 7,075 5,481 6,467
19  Singapore* 2,008 11,730 7,692 6,829 8,512 8,258 9,621 9,685 10,545 7,130 6,087 5,286 4,866
20  India 1,743 8,152 4,864 4,343 8,249 5,492 4,547 4,551 3,275 3,227 3,321 2,280 2,652
21  Netherlands 2,287 8,877 7,804 5,500 7,004 8,429 8,683 10,899 9,283 9,164 10,032 8,504 11,315
22  Sweden 1,419 3,475 4,802 3,483 5,795 5,465 5,804 5,194 6,676 5,926 6,261 4,150 6,827
23  Belgium 1,970 6,099 5,322 4,371 5,682 5,289 5,343 6,046 6,284 5,241 5,012 3,868 4,908
24  Spain 1,476 6,157 5,309 4,589 5,461 4,856 5,219 5,127 4,208 4,652 4,195 2,962 3,117
25  Austria 1,250 3,320 3,237 2,874 5,324 3,910 3,835 3,339 2,860 3,801 2,565 2,450 2,843
26  Indonesia* 1,217 5,161 3,487 3,241 5,010 6,019 4,812 4,888 4,256 3,338 2,245 3,158 2,043
27  New Zealand 1,226 3,965 3,460 3,202 4,787 4,798 5,200 5,451 5,418 4,885 4,393 3,479 4,364
28  Denmark 1,591 3,134 3,892 3,198 4,479 4,491 5,065 4,586 5,054 4,769 5,359 2,977 3,657
29  Norway 874 2,248 2,913 2,334 4,018 3,499 3,606 3,531 3,307 3,178 2,845 2,221 2,909
30  Myanmar* 1,417 22,524 22,132 2,848 3,695 2,661 2,157 1,947 1,730 1,765 1,652 1,794 1,698
31  Israel 1,664 4,041 2,997 2,128 3,593 4,163 4,068 3,364 3,241 4,232 3,700 2,236 4,090
32  Finland 780 1,719 2,287 2,023 3,218 3,013 3,751 2,735 2,962 2,742 2,470 1,985 2,729
33  Greece 246 586 520 481 593 878 498 433 366 451 578 537 569
34  Brunei* 103 389 278 342 484 865 564 582 533 354 197 267 338

∗ASEAN nation

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Sitthixay, Phonethida (2024-11-19). "Laos Welcomes Over Five Million Tourists in 2024, Generating Over USD 1 Billion". Laotian Times. Retrieved 2025-01-30.
  2. ^ a b c Lao PDR's tourism COVID-19 recovery roadmap 2021-2025 (PDF). Lao PDR Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
  3. ^ Chung, Christine (2025-01-01). "Is This the Year Laos Breaks Through?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
  4. ^ "Statistical Report on Tourism in Laos" (PDF). European Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Lao PDR. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  5. ^ "2018 Statistical Report on Tourism in Laos" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 August 2020. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  6. ^ "Laos Tourism decline". Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  7. ^ "2016 Statistical Report on Tourism in Laos" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 June 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  8. ^ "2015 Statistical Report on Tourism in Laos" (PDF). Mekong Tourism. p. 5. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 October 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  9. ^ "Lao has a record 2014". Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  10. ^  "2014 Statistical Report on Tourism in Laos" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 June 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
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