Passengers board a train at Luang Prabang Station on the Laos-China Railway, a vital transport link that supports tourism growth in Laos.

Laos rises 10 places in global tourism development ranking

Laos has made significant progress in tourism development, ranking 75th out of 110 countries in the Travel and Tourism Development Index 2026, published by the World Economic Forum, with a score of 3.69.
The country’s score increased by 6.1 percent, while its ranking improved by 10 places compared with 2024, highlighting its growing competitiveness and potential as an international tourism destination.
Mrs Anusone Vongphachan, who travelled from Canada to visit relatives in Vientiane, told the Vientiane Times she had visited Luang Prabang during her trip.
“We went to Luang Prabang as part of our plan to visit relatives on this trip. We wanted to explore the city and experience travel on the Laos-China Railway,” she said.
The report identified Laos as one of 10 developing countries in Southeast and South Asia that have made notable progress in tourism development, supported by the region’s strong recovery.
Globally, Japan ranked first, followed by the United States and Spain. Within ASEAN, Singapore led in 13th place, followed by Indonesia at 23rd, Malaysia at 26th, Thailand at 38th, Vietnam at 52nd and the Philippines at 57th.
Laos ranked 75th, indicating that further improvements are needed to compete with regional leaders.
One of Laos’ greatest strengths is its competitive pricing, which makes the country an attractive destination for budget-conscious travellers.
The report also highlighted progress in environmental sustainability, with a 14 percent increase in its score, demonstrating the potential to develop tourism while protecting natural resources.
However, challenges remain in infrastructure, tourist services, human resources, technological readiness and the business environment. Addressing these weaknesses will be essential to improving service quality and attracting more foreign visitors.
Tourism growth has already brought encouraging results. More than 2.5 million foreign tourists visited Laos in the first half of 2026, an increase of 9.87 percent compared with the same period in 2025, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Thailand was the largest source market, with 833,738 arrivals, followed by China with 675,365 and Vietnam with 586,190.
The improved ranking and rising visitor numbers demonstrate Laos’ growing tourism potential. Continued cooperation between the public and private sectors, investment in accommodation and facilities, digitalisation and workforce development will help strengthen the country’s competitiveness and support sustainable tourism growth in the years ahead.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update October 26, 2026)