KUALA LUMPUR - Laos recorded 4,580,709 tourist arrivals in 2025, marking an 11 per cent increase from a year earlier and surpassing the government’s target of 4.3 million visitors.

The Tourism Development Department said the growth underscores the country’s strong post-pandemic recovery in the travel sector, as reported by Laotian Times.

In 2024, Laos welcomed more than 4.1 million visitors, nearly one million more than in 2023, placing it 13th globally among the world’s fastest-growing tourism destinations, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation.

Most visitors to Laos came from Thailand, Vietnam and China, the department said.

The country has also been recognised as one of the world’s most economical travel destinations for 2026 by Indie Traveller magazine.

Laos was featured in the publication’s list of “26 Amazing Cheap Places You Should Travel to in 2026,” with budget travellers able to explore the country for about US$25 a day.

Looking ahead, Minister of Culture and Tourism Suansavanh Viyaket said Laos aims to attract more than 43 million visitors between 2026 and 2030.

The target includes 21 million domestic and 22 million international tourists, averaging about 4.4 million visitors annually and generating at least US$13 billion in tourism revenue.