Laos capital Vientiane receives 84 international tourists after reopening

VIENTIANE, Feb 13: A total of 84 foreign tourists have visited Vientiane Capital since the government began its Travel Green Zone reopening plan in January, Laotian Times.

Four tour companies in Vientiane Capital have facilitated the arrival of foreign visitors, mainly from South Korea.

Tourists from the Philippines, Netherlands, Thailand, and Japan have also visited Laos this year, as well as Laotians living abroad.

Director of the Vientiane Capital Department of Information, Culture, and Tourism, Vilayvone Chanthalaty, said that all 84 foreign tourists who arrived in Vientiane Capital had fully complied with Covid-19 prevention measures and protocol, including taking Covid-19 tests on arrival.

Visitors stayed at hotels accredited under the Lao Safe program, according to Ms. Vilayvone, and had visited sites in Vientiane Capital including That Luang Stupa, Phakeo Temple, Sisaket Temple, Patuxay Victory Monument, and the Nam ​Pien Yorla Pa resort.

Authorities believe the initial 84 arrivals to be a good start to the program, saying that more than 100 tourists from South Korea had booked tours to Laos, however, they had to cancel their bookings due to changes to Covid-19 measures imposed by the government of South Korea that would mean ten days quarantine upon returning home.

At the same time, Laos had hoped to allow foreign visitors a 24-hour waiting period for Covid-19 test results upon arrival, however, delays have meant that this period had to be extended to 48 hours, causing visitors to lose valuable time.

Vilayvone said that Vientiane Capital hopes to attract 300,000 foreign visitors by the end of the year if no more major outbreaks of Covid-19 occur.