Laos Reopens Borders With Government-Initiated LaoSafe Program

After two years of tightly closed borders, Laos reopened their borders for international travel in May 2022! Animal lovers, especially elephant enthusiasts, would love this place! You’ve also got miles of unexplored, gorgeous scenery to soak in, and various ethnic villages to culturally immerse yourself.

Both vaccinated and non-vaccinated (but tested negative) travellers are now allowed to enter. And to prepare for this, the government has put in place Laos’ LaoSafe program. 

Also read: What to Expect When Travelling to Laos: Expectations vs Reality

What is LaoSafe? 

Image credit: LaoSafe Official Website

To sum it up, LaoSafe is a health and hygiene program approved by the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism (MICT). In its initial phases, the program was first implemented in Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage City. 

Since its launch in December 2021, LaoSafe aims to set the standards for hygiene and health for Laos travel among businesses in the tourism and hospitality industry. These standards are in conjunction with the relevant private-sector organisations and government associations, such as: Lao Airlines; Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Lao Hotel and Restaurant Association; the Lao Association of Travel Agents; and the Lao Tour Guide Association. 

Image credit: Adli Wahid

In the period before Laos borders reopened, LaoSafe used that time to prepare for the comeback of tourists. Both the Laotian government and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Switzerland financed this program. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education and Sports of Laos and the Luxembourg Development Cooperation Agency carried out implementation. 

Image credit: Stephen Leonardi

Through various initiatives of education, certification, and promotion, over a hundred Laotian businesses have been certified to provide safe goods and services. These include accommodation, food, beverages, drivers, and tour guides. As of writing, over 500 restaurants have been certified, along with 60 hotels, 563 tour guides, 188 drivers, and two airlines. 

Image credit: Irene Grace Tolentino

Travelling to Laos has never been easier. With the benchmark of these sector-certified standards being raised and met, Laos will be seen as a premier — and safe — Southeast Asian travel destination. As a result of LaoSafe’s consistent efforts to make the arrival experience smooth, the country will hopefully start to see a boost in tourism as the months go by. 

Featured image credit: Kamkatcha via Canva Pro

Information and images extracted from a press release by LaoSafe.