Last year witnessed more than 837,000 Vietnamese tourists travel to Laos, an increase of 133% compared to 2022, while the number of Lao tourists to Vietnam reached over 120,000, up 155% on-year.

Moreover, according to information given by the Tourism Development of Laotian Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism, over 263,000 Vietnamese people visited the neighbouring nation in the first quarter of this year, making Vietnam the second biggest source of foreign visitors to Laos during the reviewed period.

Meanwhile, Laos was among the country’s top 15 tourism markets, with the number of Lao travelers to Vietnam standing at 33,000.

Minister Viyaketh noted that tours between the two countries helped their people gain greater insights into history and traditional culture, thereby further fostering the special friendship.

Most Vietnamese tourists were keen to visit the capital of Vientiane and Vangvieng town, while those from Lao were highly  interested in travelling to Vietnam's famous historical and cultural sites, as well as various scenic spots, including beautiful beaches, she added.

Currently, it is quite convenient to travel between the two, including through land borders or direct flights, with flights taking only 80 minutes.

Minister Viyaketh also stressed that in order to promote tourism, the two countries have also held several tourism and cultural promotion programmes such as a culture and tourism week showcasing the nation’s northwestern region and Ho Chi Minh City in the Lao province of Luang Prabang, as well as the Hanoi-Vientiane Conference on Tourism and Trade Promotion in 2024.

She underlined the need for both countries to pay closer attention to tourism collaboration through intensifying delegation exchange at all levels, thereby offering optimal conditions for immigration activities, encouraging businesses to boost tourism development, and jointly popularizing tourist destinations.