Vietnam and Laos step up cooperation in tourism
VOV.VN - Vietnam and Laos will strengthen tourism connectivity and cooperate in attracting international visitors to one another, agreed Vietnamese Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung and Lao Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Suanesavanh Vignaket during their meeting in Hanoi on December 14.
Addressing the event, Vignaket emphasised that the tourism industry has become an important spearhead sector, serving as a growth driver of the Lao economy.
“We has designed a wide range of tourism products and are happy to learn that the number of Vietnamese tourists has currently ranked second among the total international visitors to Laos after Thailand,” she said.
Vignaket said that Lao tourists are interested in travelling to Vietnam thanks to the country’s famous historical and cultural sites, as well as various scenic spots, including beautiful beaches in the central and southern regions.
She expressed hope that Laos would receive more Vietnamese tourists in the coming time, especially when the 2024 Lao Tourism Year is organised.
For his part, Hung affirmed that tourism cooperation has been a key pillar in Vietnam-Laos relations in recent times. He said that Vietnam is an important source of tourists for Laos, and that tours will help people of both sides to gain greater insights into history and traditional culture, thereby fostering the Vietnam-Laos special friendship in the time ahead.
At the event, both sides agreed to effectively implement the cultural, arts, and tourism cooperation plan for the 2021 - 2025 period. Furthermore, the two countries will work together with Cambodia to deploy the programme titled "One journey, three destinations”.
Hung assured his guest that Vietnam will participate in the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2024 to be held in Laos in January 2024.
Vietnam welcomed a total of 112,451 Lao tourists during the 11-month period, exceeding the figure of 98,500 recorded in the pre-pandemic period in 2019.
