VIENTIANE (Xinhua): Laos will launch the tourism promotion campaign Visit Laos Year 2024 on Nov 23, which coincides with the annual That Luang festival.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Lao Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Suanesavanh Vignaket said the theme for the year-long event is "A Paradise of Lao Culture, Nature and History," with the elephant chosen as its mascot.
Visit Laos Year 2024 aims to promote the development of new products and services in the tourism industry of the country. It will also focus on improving the quality of services in line with the requirements of target market groups, according to the minister.
The tourism promotion campaign will include 79 activities, with 14 being national activities and 65 to be carried out in various provinces.
The Lao government hopes that the South-East Asian country will host at least 4.6 million foreign and Lao tourists in 2024, generating a revenue of US$712mil.
"We are improving tourist facilities and diversifying tourism products to meet the needs of the regional and global tourism markets, while also improving the quality of services, aiming to welcome tourists with warmth, smiles and good hospitality," said the minister.
More than 2.4 million foreign tourists visited Laos in the first nine months of 2023, an increase of 285% compared to the same period in 2022.