Senior members of the Board of Directors of Lao Bullion Bank, event organisers and distinguished guests attend a post-event media briefing on the Lao Gold Festival 2026 on Wednesday. --Photo Vientiane Times

Lao Gold Festival draws over 50,000 visitors, gold sales exceed 230kg

More than 50,000 people attended the Lao Gold Festival 2026, while preliminary assessments showed that gold sales and gold deposit transactions during the three-day event exceeded 230 kilograms, organisers said at a post-event media briefing.
Held from September 4-6 at the National Convention Centre in Vientiane, the festival attracted nearly twice as many visitors as last year and involved businesses, financial institutions, experts and industry partners from Laos and abroad.
Speaking at the media briefing about the achievements of this year’s festival, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Lao Bullion Bank, Mr Alounkeo Kittikhoun, said “Laos is known for its abundant mineral resources from the north to the south, therefore, it has considerable potential to promote domestic “Made in Laos” products domestically and internationally.”

At the same time, the President of the Lao Gold, Jewellery and Gemstone Association, Mr Phouvong Phamisith, said feedback from this year’s festival had been positive, adding that the ultimate goal was to develop the Lao gold market and enhance the value and competitiveness of products made by Lao artisans and domestic producers in the region.
Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer of the Lao Bullion Bank, Mr Nouxay Vensavanh, said lessons learned from last year’s event had led to significant improvements this year, particularly through increased participation by international partners and the signing of several memorandums of understanding (MOUs) on future cooperation.
“We observed an increase in the number of booths, visitors and international partners, as well as greater participation by banks and financial institutions,” he said, adding that the next festival would be further improved and continue to welcome members of the public.
On the media part, President of the Lao Journalists’ Association, Mr Savankhone Razmountry, said the media plays an important role in raising the profile of Laos’ gold industry through articles highlighting tourism, Lao traditions and culture.

“The Lao media sector will also play a crucial role in spreading the word about Lao PDR’s pride, as well as its tourism diversity, while Lao jewellery products can be considered attractive souvenirs for foreign visitors,” he said.
Mr Savankhone added that the media would help to raise the profile of Lao gold and jewellery on international markets and promote investment in the sector while ensuring that traditional values and cultural heritage are preserved.
The festival featured more than 50 booths set up by gold shops and gold-related businesses, more than 40 booths showcasing Lao silk and other products, and over 15 banks and other financial institutions.
It brought together business partners, experts and speakers representing more than 40 companies from over 20 countries, providing opportunities for participants to share their knowledge and explore potential business cooperation.
According to the post-event assessment, six MOUs were signed with domestic and international partners during the festival to strengthen cooperation and create opportunities for future business development.
The programme also featured more than 20 seminars, panel discussions and training sessions involving over 60 speakers who shared their knowledge, expertise and experience.
In addition to gold sales and deposits exceeding 230 kilograms, more than 12,000 app downloads and new account registrations were recorded. Deposits arranged through participating banks and financial institutions exceeded 50 billion kip.
Beyond its business and financial activities, the festival also promoted Lao cultural heritage and handicrafts, with a focus on Lao silk, the pha khuan ceremony, handicrafts and gold jewellery.
Outstanding works from competitions held as part of the festival were auctioned for charitable purposes, with the proceeds contributing to social assistance initiatives.
Looking ahead to 2027, organisers said the focus would shift from simply making the festival bigger to generating clearer and more tangible economic and industry impacts.
The next phase will include turning the MOUs signed during the 2026 festival into concrete projects and business partnerships, while advancing the country’s gold sector from a “gold market” to a “gold industry”.
Organisers reiterated their vision of developing the Lao Gold Festival into a Lao Gold Ecosystem under the theme “Lao Gold to the World”, focusing on connecting stakeholders, building trust, and growing together.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update October 1, 2026)