From January to May 2023, Bokeo province reported that 116,142 tourists entered across the 4th Lao-Thai International Friendship Bridge and through the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone Border Checkpoint.
The Provincial Department of Information, Culture, and Tourism reported that international tourists, alongside 7,300 domestic visitors, in Bokeo generated more than USD 5.8 million in revenue.
The rise in the number of visitors compared to the same period last year is more than 96,000, which is an increase of 484 percent.
The Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge 4 alone saw 57,867 visitors, which includes 48,947 passport-holding tourists and 8,920 border-pass visitors, resulting in a USD 2.9 million revenue.
The Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone Crossing attracted 58,275 visitors, including 48,412 passport-holding tourists and 9,863 border-pass visitors, generating more than USD 2.9 million.
The province received 66,593 visitors from 9 ASEAN countries, 27,437 from 30 Asian and Pacific nations, 18,480 from 38 European nations, 3,450 from 15 northern and southern American nations, and 182 from 12 African and Middle Eastern nations.
SEZs in Laos have recently been in the news for not just attracting tourists but also generating employment for over 60,000 people across the country.
Source: laotiantimes.com
