Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone. --Photo Da

PM urges stronger promotion of tourism campaigns, with focus on Lao culture

Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone has called for more to be done to ensure the success of Visit Laos-China Year 2027, Visit Laos Year 2029, and Visit Laos-Vietnam Year 2030, stressing the need to develop distinctive tourism products and attract more visitors.
Speaking at a meeting on April 7, the Prime Minister urged the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to coordinate closely with all sectors to ensure clear division of responsibilities between the public and private sectors, as well as between central and local authorities.

This viewpoint on Phou Phadaeng Mountain in Luang Prabang province is popular with visitors. --Photo Tourism Luang Prabang

Activities organised under these campaigns must be innovative, distinctive, and reflect the special characteristics of various places and ethnic groups, he said, adding that robust and early advertising is essential to draw more visitors to Laos.
The Prime Minister also called on the ministry to focus on Laos’ World Heritage Sites, aiming to enhance the country’s role and reputation on the international stage through its cultural attractions.
At the same time, he stressed the importance of developing and promoting tourism in a sustainable manner, with active participation from local communities. Cultural aspects, he said, should be integrated into tourism as a product that can be both experienced and marketed, rather than merely preserved.
In terms of tourism management, the Prime Minister urged authorities to prioritise safety, particularly in high-risk activities such as rock climbing, ziplining, ballooning and paramotoring. Clear and responsible measures must be put in place to respond to unexpected incidents, he said.
He also highlighted the need for modernisation, including improving incident reporting systems, information services and emergency contact systems, with multilingual accessibility.
In addition, he instructed the ministry to work closely with all relevant sectors to remove bottlenecks hindering tourism development and enhance overall facilitation. Issues beyond its mandate, he said, should be referred to the government for consideration and resolution.
He further stressed that problems related to so-called zero-dollar tours, unlicensed tour guides and illegal operations must be taken seriously and effectively addressed.
Finally, the Prime Minister called for in-depth research into solutions to safeguard national interests and ensure that the tourism industry becomes a key driver of economic growth.
 

By Times Reporters
 (Latest UpdateApril 8, 2026)