Southeast Asia Information Port (www.dnyxxg.com) – The Lao Ministry of Culture and Tourism held a working meeting on Monday to summarize the achievements of the 2025 cultural tourism plan, outline key tasks for 2026, clarify the advancement of several UNESCO World Heritage nominations, and set ambitious annual tourism targets.
The meeting was chaired by Minister of Culture and Tourism Souanesavanh Vinyakhaté. She stated that summarizing the experiences of 2025 and formulating a clear agenda for 2026 will help deeply integrate the country's cultural traditions with the tourism industry, building a strong economic pillar in accordance with the Party and State's policies.
Laos plans to nominate its iconic dish, Larb (spicy meat salad), and the Baci ceremony for UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage recognition; it will also accelerate the preparation of the World Heritage nomination documents for Nakhon Namthong National Park, highlighting its ecological conservation value. Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Dalani Phommavongsak pointed out that this demonstrates Laos's determination to protect its cultural heritage and promote international sharing.
Laos has set clear tourism goals for 2026: to attract over 4.4 million foreign tourists, generating over US$1 billion in tourism revenue; and to expect 4.3 million domestic tourist trips by Lao citizens, contributing approximately US$707 million to the economy.
To achieve these goals, Laos will promote the "Laos-China Tourism Year" and formulate a tourism marketing strategy for 2026-2030. This will be achieved through measures such as producing multilingual promotional materials, inviting media and opinion leaders to visit Laos, and strengthening the operation of digital tourism platforms to enhance international influence. Furthermore, infrastructure construction along the China-Laos Railway is progressing steadily, and the Vang Vieng road upgrade project is expected to be completed by the middle of this year.
