When it comes to tourism, Southeast Asia is competitive region to say the least. Countries like Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Singapore are massive draws. Millions upon millions of tourists flock to these locations each year due to their respective cultures, histories, food scenes, and more. Since these countries are so dominant, it can be difficult for other destinations in the region to shine through. That's what Laos has been struggling with for years.
Sandwiched between its better known neighbors, Laos does not have the international profile of other nearby countries. That doesn't mean that Laos doesn't have a tourism industry. It actually has a booming industry dominated by backpacking travelers. Still, the country lacks the the tourism infrastructure to support large scale tourism initiatives. And being directly compared to neighbor countries like Vietnam certainly doesn't help the situation
Some of those issues are being addressed, though. Laos has undertaken a series of infrastructure projects, including comprehensive road improvements that have made many dangerous "roads" into safe highways across the country. Major hotel chains also established presences in Vientiane, ranging from budget friendly to luxurious. Additionally, popular tourist destinations have received major upgrades to safety features as well as additional service features.
Keeping in mind that Laos has a lot of work to do, particularly in the area of tourist safety, it is in a great position to do well in 2025. With tourism numbers around the world returning to pre-pandemic numbers, and exceeding them in many cases, Laos is well positioned to grow as well. The first quarter of 2024 saw more than one million tourists head to Laos, a significant increase. With the current updates alongside more developments on the way, tourism in Laos will only continue to grow.