Laos is quietly reopening its borders to nations around the world.
The Laotian government dropped entry restrictions on 1 January to
fully vaccinated arrivals from 17 nations through its Lao Travel Green
Zone Plan
Authorities hope the limited reopening will boost the country’s
tourism industry which has been closed to foreign tourists for more than
18 months. The loss of international tourists has crippled the economy
in Laos.
The initial list of 17 nations eligible to visit Laos includes China,
which in 2019 accounted for more than 20% of foreign visitors to Laos.
Now, the government has extended the scheme to residents of more than
a dozen jurisdictions, including three additional ASEAN countries
(Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines) and nine more in Europe.
The entry permit comes with an implant condition: Eligible visitors
must pre-book authorised group tours in Vientiane, Vang Vieng or Luang
Prabang, where 70% of the local population has been vaccinated.
It is planned for the number of Green Travel Zones in Laos to be extended to other provinces in April.