Laos will welcome international tourists from the beginning of 2022

 Laos will welcome international tourists from the beginning of 2022

Laos has just approved a plan to open a "Tourism Green Zone" to welcome foreign tourists in January next year. This is part of the process of reopening the country after a long period of closure due to the impact of Covid-19.

To ensure safe tourism during the Covid-19 period as well as contribute to economic recovery, generate income for people, service providers as well as increase revenue for the country, the Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control Laos has approved the plan to open "Tourism Green Zone" and start welcoming international tourists from January 2022.

Accordingly, tourists entering Laos for tourism will have to meet a number of conditions as follows, book a package tour in the "Tourism Green Zone", declare information and travel schedule through the online system; buy Covid insurance; have a certificate of vaccination with full doses and a negative test certificate for SARS-CoV-2 virus within 72 hours before entry. In addition, upon arrival in Laos, they will have to isolate for 24 hours at a hotel designated by the Covid-19 Committee to wait for test results; use Laosafe app to track information and QR code during travel.

The committee also said that for children aged 5-18 years old must be tested for Covid by PCR method but not necessarily have a certificate of vaccination and children under 5 years old are not required to be tested for Covid-19.

Currently, the tourist green zone is applied to the Vientiane capital, the town of Vangvieng and the ancient capital of Luangprabang, these are places that are eligible to ensure safety for tourists as well as service providers. To become a "Tourism Green Zone", localities must have 70-80% of the population and 90-95% of service providers have been vaccinated against Covid-19.

Tran Tuan, Dang The