Vietnam a priority nation when Laos restarts int'l tourism

By Nguyen Quy October 27, 2021 | 06:15 pm PT

Pha That Luang, a gold-covered large Buddhist stupa, is a famous tourist attraction in Vientiane, Laos. Photo by Shutterstock

Tourists from Vietnam, China and other ASEAN countries would be prioritized when Laos reopens its doors to foreign tourists, a senior official said.

Laos’s current focus is to vaccinate at least 50 percent of its population against Covid by the end of this year, Lao Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Ounthuang Khaophan said in a statement, Vietnam News Agency reported.

As of October 23, 43.55 percent of the Lao population had received at least one dose of a Covid vaccine and 37.24 percent had been fully vaccinated.

Therefore, the country is yet to set a date to welcome vaccinated foreign tourists, the deputy minister said.

After more than 50 percent of the population is fully vaccinated and the pandemic situation improves, Laos will reopen its borders to vaccinated tourists, with those from neighboring countries, especially Vietnam, China and some ASEAN countries on the priority list for entry, he said.

Vietnam also closed its doors to foreign tourists and canceled all international flights in March last year to contain Covid, allowing only Vietnamese repatriates and foreign experts and highly-skilled workers to enter.

The Vietnamese government has recently announced tentative plans to revive international foreign tourists after over two years of border closures.

The localities of Kien Giang, Khanh Hoa, Quang Nam, Da Nang and Quang Ninh, home to many tourist hotspots, have got the green light to welcome foreign tourists starting November.