Thailand eyes advantages of tourist outflow from Laos-China railway

Thailand is keen to take advantage of an expected tourist spillover from the Laos-China railway when China’s borders fully reopen in 2023, according to a recent Thaiger report.
The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) was quoted in the Thaiger as saying that at least 3 million Chinese are estimated to travel through the 422-km Laos-China railway when the mainland permits outbound travel.

Many more tourists travel through the Laos-China railway.

President of Laos’ Hotel and Restaurant Association, Mr Pakasith Chathapaya, told Vientiane Times on Wednesday that tourism-related businesses are preparing for a surge in Chinese visitors to Laos and other Asean countries, who will make use of the new railway.
“We are improving services at hotels and restaurants through a capacity-building programme, while further improving tourist attractions with a view to accommodating more foreign tourists, including those from China,” he said.
“Many hotels and restaurants have begun hiring staff who can speak both English and Chinese, in readiness for the expected influx of Chinese and other foreign visitors coming to Laos via the railway.”
Mr Pakasith said Chinese tourists enjoy Laos’ natural environment and adventure activities, particularly zip-lining, which they can experience in Vangvieng district, Vientiane province.
The Chinese are also interested in Laos’ cultural attractions and the world heritage site in Luang Prabang is one of their favourite destinations.
Adith Chairattananon, honorary secretary-general of the ATTA, said Thailand must take the opportunity to accommodate the overflow of tourists from Laos, as he believes Laos may not be able to cope with the expected large number of tourists, in terms of facilities and accommodation.
Adith said that about one million Chinese tourists visited Laos in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic, with 80 percent arriving by air.
He estimated that the number could reach 4-5 million next year, with most expected to travel on the Laos-China railway which runs from Kunming to Vientiane, assuming that China’s borders are fully reopen by that time.
Of the total 211,898 foreign tourist arrivals in Laos in the first six months of this year, more than 4,600 came from China, despite the travel restrictions in place.
Some 1,140 Chinese visited Laos in May and over 3,440 in June, according to the report, which was published by the Tourism Development Department of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism.
The number of visitors to northern Laos is on the rise due to the popularity of the Laos-China railway, which runs from Boten (on the Laos-China border) to Vientiane, with trains running at a maximum speed of 160km per hour.
The Laos-China railway forms part of the larger Kunming-Singapore rail link, which passes through Laos, Thailand and Malaysia.

By Somsack Pongkhao
 (Latest Update November 3, 2022)