VIENTIANE, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- Northern Laos' Luang Prabang province welcomed some 1,583,000 tourists in the first nine months of 2024, surpassing its target of 900,000 set for this year.
Local news website Lao Pattana News on Tuesday quoted Mayor of Luang Prabang city Viengthong Hathsachanh as saying that tourism in the province and its capital city has developed fast during Visit Laos Year 2024.
He attributed the surge to improved services, attractions of local lifestyle and cultural traditions and ease of travel to the province.
The province now has an efficient rail service and an increasing number of international flights.
Luang Prabang province, some 220 km north of the capital Vientiane, is one of the most well-known provinces in Laos and is a top tourist draw because of its old temples, scenic attractions and rural landscapes.
Luang Prabang was listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a world heritage in 1995.
Luang Prabang province has 228 officially-designated tourist sites, of which 111 are nature-based, 78 are of cultural interest, and 39 have historical associations. ■