The number of regional visitors to Laos and Southwest China’s Yunnan province has seen a sharp increase since last year’s introduction of passenger services on the Laos-China railway.
The passenger train, from the Lao capital of Vientiane to Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province, was introduced on April 13 last year.
From the date of the launch until the beginning of April this year, 172,023 passengers used the service, according to Lao Deputy Minister of Tourism Darany Phommavongsa, who met a group of ASEAN journalists touring the railway at the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism in June.
One year to the day after the initial launch, an additional pair of passenger services were added between Luang Prabang, Laos and Xishuangbanna, China.
During the June news conference, Darany noted that the railway had transformed Laos from a landlocked to a connected country, “making the dreams and aspirations of the Lao people come true”.
She said the success is due to the joint implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, which both countries must continue to pay attention to, in order to achieve high-quality development and to continuously upgrade cooperation.
She explained that the Lao government aimed to develop the Laos-China railway into an economic corridor that generates major income for the nation. The corridor will contribute to improving the country’s economic situation through the transportation of passengers, including international tourists, as well as carrying goods between Laos and China.
The railway also made a significant contribution to the “Visit Laos 2024” campaign, which aims to promote Lao tourism and attract more international guests, creating jobs, bringing in foreign currency and supporting the conservation and protection of the country’s art, culture and traditions, while sharing its long history. https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202407/31/WS66a99e02a3104e74fddb7bba.html