A temple in Vang Vieng in Laos Photo: IC

More than 3.4 million people vacationed in Laos in the first nine months of this year, an increase of about 11 percent compared to the same period last year, while the number of visitors from China soared by 26 percent, according to the Lao Tourism Development Department under the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism.

Director General of the Tourism Marketing Department of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism Soun Manivong said, quoted by local daily Vientiane Times on Monday, that visitor numbers had increased because of the Visit Laos-China Year tourism promotion.

Officials are confident that more than 1 million Chinese out of the year's target of 4.5 million visitors will come to Laos during Visit Laos-China Year 2019 as the next three months are the high tourist season, Soun said. 

Visitors from Thailand, the main source of Laos' tourists, rose by 6 percent while Vietnamese visitors have increased by 11 percent.

Tourist arrivals from the US rose by 22 percent, while visitors from Britain also increased by 22 percent. The number of French visitors rose by 11 percent while German tourists increased by 13 percent.

In comparison, visitor numbers from South Korea dropped by 1 percent, the number from Denmark fell by 27 percent, Swiss visitors declined by 18 percent, and the number from Finland plummeted by 28 percent.

To achieve the government's target of 4.5 million visitors in 2019, provinces across the country have created more tourist attractions, improved signage, and made adjustments to the price of accommodation following complaints about high costs. The authorities have also improved services at border crossings and trained officials to provide information to foreign visitors.

Laos has 670 hotels, 2,432 guesthouses and resorts, 2,646 restaurants and 305 entertainment venues, according to the Tourism Development Department.