Laos welcomed the millionth Chinese tourist in 2019 at Vientiane Wattay International Airport on the morning of December 31, 2019.
Xia Chao, a 27-year-old Chinese tourist from Hubei province, took China Eastern Airline’s flight from Kunming to Laos for a self-guided tour.
This is Xia Chao's second trip to Laos. "The people here are simple and the climate is pleasant, I like the smiles from Lao people very much. Next year I will come back to Laos with my good friends," he told the reporter.
Sounh Manivong, Director General of the Tourism Marketing Department under Lao Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, told the reporter at the airport that the arrival of the millionth Chinese tourist marks the successful completion of objectives in Visit Laos-China Year. Over the past year, the two countries have cooperated closely and have successfully held a series of bonding activities. The Lao government will further develop tourism infrastructure to receive more and more Chinese tourists.
The opening ceremony of the Visit Laos-China Year campaign was jointly hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China and the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism of Laos in Vientiane on January 25, 2019, which is an important event for the two countries to further promote non-governmental exchanges, enhance well-being of the people and provide impetus for the development of Laos tourism.
In the past year, the Ministry of Tourism of the two countries have conducted exchanges and cooperation projects on tourism, local dishes, art performances, etc… throughout the year, which have built a dialogue platform for the local tourism authorities and tourism enterprises from the two countries. This has not only promoted the travel routes designed by two sides, but has also facilitated the establishment of Laos tourism brand, boosting the growth of two-way tourism between China and Laos.