VIENTIANE - Laos' Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, and Shanghai-based Trip.com Group Limited, a leading online travel agency in China, on Thursday inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop and promote the tourism sector in Laos.

The signing ceremony was attended by Lao Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Suanesavanh Vignaket, Economic and Commercial Counselor of Chinese Embassy in Laos Zhao Wenyu, Vice President of Trip.com Group Chen Guanqi, and relevant parties from both sides.

The agreement will be an important step to contribute to the Visit Laos Year 2024. It will also be a good opportunity for Laos to promote its tourism in the Chinese market.

We aim to highlight the enchanting landscapes, historical sites, and diverse cultural heritage of Laos on our platform.

Chen Guanqi, Vice President of Trip.com Group 

The two sides will jointly create an action plan to promote Lao tourism in order to upgrade services and create a variety of tourism programs to attract more Chinese tourists.

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Speaking at the ceremony, Chen said Trip.com Group recognizes Laos' immense potential as a tourist destination, and the company is committed to showcasing Laos' unique attraction to the Chinese travelers.

"We aim to highlight the enchanting landscapes, historical sites, and diverse cultural heritage of Laos on our platform," Chen said.

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The company will work closely with the Lao Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, adopting popular marketing strategies in China, such as live streaming, to promote Lao tourism.

In the first three months of 2024, Laos welcomed over 242,000 Chinese tourists, making China the third largest source of foreign tourist arrivals.