BEIJING – The government of Laos’ implementation of visa-free entry for citizens from China started on Monday as more and more countries open up to the Asian economic giant.
A 15-day visa-free policy exclusively for Chinese tourists has come into force as confirmed by the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism.
The visa-free entry aims to facilitate travel for mainland Chinese, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwanese nationals who are accompanied by registered travel agents.
Effective from July 1 through December 31 this year, the policy is part of Laos’ broader strategy to enhance cultural and economic exchanges with China and help grow tourism.
“As 2024 is the Visit Laos Year, we hope that we will have more tourists coming to Laos,” said Darany Phommavongsa, Lao deputy minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism, underscoring the nation’s ambitions to attract a larger influx of visitors.
The official highlighted Laos’ recent milestone of welcoming over 3.4 million international tourists in 2023, emphasizing the country’s attractiveness as a travel destination.
The visa-free policy represents a serious effort by Laos to capitalize on its cultural and natural heritage, aiming to bolster its tourism sector amidst global travel dynamics.
The authorities in China have been inking visa-free agreements with multiple countries. Recently, the country allowed citizens from Australia, New Zealand, and Poland to visit China without the need for a visa. Beijing has also signed a visa-free agreement with Thailand permanently from March this year.
