Expert calls for Thai-Laos tourism upgrades to attract big spenders

An industry expert is urging Thailand and Laos to collaborate in enhancing the quality of their attractions and services to boost mutual tourism, especially in light of the upcoming 75th anniversary of bilateral ties this year. 

Laos, a neighbouring country with high tourism potential, welcomed 4.2 million foreign tourists last year, about a million more than the 3.4 million arrivals in 2023. Thanate Vorasaran, chair of a Thai Chamber of Commerce board on high-quality tourism, said on Wednesday that this surge can be attributed to the “Visit Laos Year 2024” campaign. 

Meanwhile, some 1.2 million Thais visited the neighbouring country last year, down slightly from the 1.3 million in 2023. A survey by the tourism platform Agoda found that 74% of Thai travellers like returning to places they have been before. The most revisited destinations by Thais are Japan, followed by Taiwan and Laos, which Thanate said offers Thai tour operators a promising opportunity. 

“This [the survey] proves it’s not difficult to persuade Thai travellers to return to Laos in the future. Furthermore, the China-Laos railway, which connects to Thailand, will further boost mutual tourism,” he said.

Meanwhile, Thailand welcomed 900,000 Laotian visitors last year, making the Kingdom the top destination for travellers from the neighbouring country, followed by Vietnam and China. 

Judging by this interest, Thanate said tourism authorities in both countries should focus on jointly developing tourist attractions and improving the quality of services to lure high-spending visitors, instead of just focusing on the number of arrivals. 

“The future of the tourism industry lies in carbon neutrality, and Thailand has come a long way on this matter,” he said. “Cooperating with Thailand will help fast-track Laos’ endeavours in sustainable tourism without having to start from scratch,” he said. 

Thailand, meanwhile, has set a target of welcoming 40 million foreign tourists in 2025, with 1.2 million expected from Laos.