Fully vaccinated visitors on pre-booked tours will be able to enter from Jan 1 and visit Vientiane, the eco-tourism hotspot Vang Vieng and the Unesco World Heritage-listed Luang Prabang, state media reported on Friday. Laos was receiving about 4.7 million foreign tourists each year before the pandemic. Above Laos Ballooning Adventures, based in Vang Vieng, said it used to run two hot-air balloon flights a day during the high season. Alex Tran, owner of the Camellia Hotel in Vang Vieng, said revenue was down 95% because of the border closures. “Many hotels in Vang Vieng are empty and have closed temporarily for around two years because there are no tourists,” he told AFP.

Source: Bangkok Post December 18, 2021 20:29 UTC