A resort in Laos (Photo: VNA) Vientiane (VNA) - Laos welcomed nearly 645,000 foreign tourists in the first nine months of 2012, meeting 71,64% of the yearly target, local media reported on December 8.
This figure shows the strong revival of tourism industry and a good sign for the Lao economy in the coming time.
Statistics from the Department of Tourism Marketing under the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism of Laos show that visitors mainly came from Thailand, China and the Republic of Korea (RoK).
The number of European visitors reached over 14,000, while those from the US topped 9,000.
Meanwhile, the number of Lao citizens going on domestic tours also increased, reaching over 1 million, equivalent to over 97% of the set plan.
The tourism sector of Laos reported total revenues of over 225 million USD in the period, equal to 74.71% of the plan set for the year.
Recently, National Geographic, one of the most prestigious magazines in the world, named Laos as one of the 25 most spectacular destinations to visit in 2023.
Lao tourism officials believe this recommendation will help further boost the country's tourism growth next year./.
