Tourism in Laos is a part of the economy of Laos. In 2024, tourist numbers topped 5 million, contributing over US$1 billion to the economy. Tourism is the third largest source of foreign income for the Laos government, behind mining and electricity generation. In 2019, 4.79 million international tourists visited Laos, spending US$931 million, representing 9.1% of the Lao economy, and created employment for 300,000 people.

The top four sources of international tourists in 2019 were Thailand (45%), China (21.3%), Vietnam (19.3%) and South Korea (4.2%).

The Laos-China Railway has facilitated the entry of more tourists, particularly from China, into Laos. The railway opened in 2021, and cross-border service between Laos and China began in 2023. Compared to its neighbour Thailand, Laos is said to be a more difficult country to enter by air, especially via long-haul air routes. In 2024, there were over 46 million airline seats to Thailand, and less than 1.8 million going to Laos. These services typically enter from China or Thailand, meaning visitors may combine their trip with visits to neighbouring countries and not travel only to Laos, due to the need to transit through them to reach Laos.

Statistics

+Tourist arrivals of 2024 in %

Annual statistics Year Tourist Arrivals Change Source2020886,447 81.5%20194,791,06514.4%2018 4,186,432 8.2% 2017 3,868,838 8.7% 2016 4,239,047 9.5% 2015 4,684,429 12.6% 2014 4,158,719 10.0% 2013 3,779,490 13.5% "2014 Statistical Report on Tourism in Laos" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 June 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2022.2012 3,330,072 22.3%2011 2,723,564 8.4%2010 2,513,028 25.1%2009 2,008,363 15.6%2008 1,736,787 6.9%2007 1,623,943 33.6%2006 1,215,106 10.9%2005 1,095,315 22.4%2004 894,806 40.6%2003 636,361 13.5%2002 735,662 9.2%2001 673,823 8.6%2000 737,208 20.8%1999 614,278 22.8%1998 500,200 8.0%1997 463,200 14.9%1996 403,000 16.3%1995 346,460 137.0%1994 146,155 42.0%1993 102,946 17.6%1992 87,571 132.8%1991 37,613 161.2%1990 14,400 - Notes: 1.COVID-19 pandemic. 2.SARS epidemic 3.September 11 attacks

International visitor arrivals RankCountry 20202019201820172016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 200920081* 350,1032,160,3001,929,9341,797,8032,009,605 2,321,352 2,043,761 2,059,434 1,937,612 1,579,941 1,517,064 1,274,064891,4482* 186,180924,875867,585891,643998,400 1,187,954 1,108,332 910,164 705,596 561,586 431,011 296,763351,3843 138,4661,022,727705,833639,185545,493 511,436 422,440 245,033 199,857 150,791 161,854 128,226105,8524 40,210203,191174,405170,571 173,260 165,328 96,085 81,799 53,829 34,707 27,312 17,87618,0655 18,11661,18449,17838,76558,094 63,058 61,460 61,608 53,380 50,092 49,782 39,33954,7176 15,50944,41639,31536,76054,953 55,151 52,146 52,411 46,903 44,399 44,844 31,77539,0777 11,08541,73638,98532,06449,191 43,826 44,877 48,644 42,026 37,883 34,076 28,08131,5698 11,59231,97626,80127,723 39,17041,508 39,061 41,741 35,964 35,622 37,272 27,04436,0389 8,63225,34622,91523,776 34,01831,897 29,800 29,250 23,417 21,280 22,583 17,71025,19110 7,27124,75019,60720,88633,077 34,665 44,964 35,441 33,878 31,874 30,538 24,20928,18011* 5,80028,32126,00219,11424,391 24,095 24,312 26,035 22,785 17,702 15,42713,81615,62512 4,63812,87310,75913,46719,31519,785 19,09617,13216,744 14,422 13,63710,95514,69513* 3,67917,18710,82610,16816,750 16,709 15,179 16,318 14,281 11,847 10,3418,33112,64714*5,01228,34218,90815,10816,536 20,625 15,342 12,180 15,140 7,5616,9087,5305,48215 1,7146,9564,8234,32914,005 6,131 5,478 4,771 3,996 5,0293,3462,5192,66516 3,14412,0548,96310,98613,03312,532 13,34011,6498,642 7,0194,8352,8613,20617 2,9218,5129,7497,95610,6039,777 9,06410,58610,096 9,7108,6225,8276,52618 2,7517,3306,1987,53710,052 8,990 9,7108,8226,289 6,9777,0755,4816,46719* 2,00811,7307,6926,8298,512 8,258 9,621 9,685 10,545 7,1306,0875,2864,86620 1,7438,1524,8644,3438,249 5,492 4,547 4,551 3,275 3,2273,3212,280 2,652 21 2,2878,8777,8045,5007,0048,429 8,68310,8999,283 9,16410,0328,50411,31522 1,4193,4754,8023,4835,7955,465 5,8045,1946,676 5,9266,2614,1506,82723 1,9706,0995,3224,3715,682 5,289 5,3436,046 6,284 5,2415,0123,8684,90824 1,4766,1575,3094,5895,4614,856 5,2195,1274,208 4,6524,1952,9623,11725 1,2503,3203,2372,8745,324 3,910 3,835 3,339 2,860 3,8012,5652,4502,84326*1,2175,1613,4873,2415,010 6,019 4,812 4,888 4,256 3,3382,2453,1582,04327 1,2263,9653,4603,2024,787 4,798 5,200 5,451 5,418 4,8854,3933,4794,36428 1,5913,1343,8923,1984,479 4,491 5,0654,586 5,054 4,7695,3592,9773,65729 8742,2482,9132,3344,0183,499 3,6063,5313,307 3,1782,8452,2212,90930* 1,41722,52422,1322,8483,695 2,661 2,157 1,947 1,730 1,7651,6521,7941,69831 1,6644,0412,9972,1283,5934,163 4,0683,364 3,241 4,2323,7002,2364,09032 7801,7192,2872,0233,218 3,013 3,7512,735 2,962 2,7422,4701,9852,72933 246586520481593 878 498433366 451 57853756934* 103389278342484 865 564 582 533 354 197 267338 ∗ASEAN nation

References

External links

Laos Cultural Profile (Ministry of Information and Culture/Visiting Arts) The official Laos Tourism Authority site Laos virtual tour Laos Tourism Video