Lao Minister of Culture and Tourism Mrs Suanesavanh Vignaket (right) and Vietnam’s Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Lam Thi Phuong Thanh sign an agreement in Vientiane last week.  --Photo Pathetlao newspaper

Laos, Vietnam eye closer ties in tourism, cultural affairs

The governments of Laos and Vietnam plan to strengthen cooperation in the fields of culture and tourism, with both sides pledging closer collaboration in heritage preservation, tourism promotion, and cultural exchanges ahead of meaningful anniversaries being celebrated in 2027.
A cooperation plan between Laos’ Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism was signed in Vientiane on May 12.
The agreement was signed by Lao Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mrs Suanesavanh Vignaket, and Vietnamese Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Lam Thi Phuong Thanh.
Under the agreement, the two countries will jointly organise cultural and tourism activities to mark the 65th anniversary of Laos-Vietnam diplomatic relations and the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation.
The two sides will also coordinate efforts related to the transboundary World Heritage Site that links Hin Nam No National Park in Laos and the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in Vietnam, in line with the 1972 UNESCO Convention and the two country’s laws.
A coordination committee is expected to be established for the joint management of the newly-announced World Heritage Site, while technical cooperation in film, visual arts, publishing and libraries will continue under a new five-year plan for 2026-2030.
In the tourism sector, Vietnam will support Laos in applying lessons learned from tourism development, use of artificial intelligence in tourism promotion, and easing travel for visitors.
Both countries also agreed to advance the Laos-Vietnam-Cambodia tourism cooperation initiative under the concept of “three countries, one destination”.
Vietnam plans to host a meeting of tourism ministers from the three countries during the Ho Chi Minh City International Tourism Expo, focusing on tourism facilitation, marketing, human resource development, and tourism product development.
The Vietnamese side will additionally support tourism promotion and public relations by linking Lao tourism operators with public and private sector partners as well as international organisations.
The partnership also aims to further integrate culture into tourism, transforming cultural assets into tourism products and visitor experiences to strengthen Laos’ tourism appeal.
Following the signing of the agreement, the two ministers co-chaired the opening of Vietnam Cultural Week in Laos, launching a series of cultural and artistic events in Vientiane.
Mrs Suanesavanh said the events featured during the Week reflect the longstanding and close ties between the two parties, states and culture ministries.
Vietnam remains one of Laos’ largest tourism markets. In the first 10 months of 2025, Laos welcomed 959,575 visitors from Vietnam, reflecting strong growth in Vietnamese interest in Laos and the success of Laos’ advertising campaigns.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update May 18, 2026)