Lancang-Mekong Regional Tourism Cooperation Mechanism : Towards A Regional Frame from Lao PDR perspective

Since 2001, the tourism sector plays an essential role in stimulating economic growth and economic development in Laos. Income from tourism sector ranked second in terms of foreign exchange earning in the Lao economy after the mining and quarrying sector. International tourism arrival has been increasing continuously. International tourists arrival increase from 0.67 million in 2001 to 2.5 million and 4.6 million in 2010 and 2015. However, international tourism arrival dramatically changes in recent year responding to the global economic deflation and more competitors in the tourism industry in this region. In 2018, international tourism arrival seems to be declined, there are 4.1 million international tourists visited the country with roughly 10% decrease compared to 2015. However, the foreign exchange earnings and its contribution to GDP was still very high that generated $811 million tourism receipts and contributed more than 10% of the Lao and the average length of stay for the total tourism arrival increase from 4.8 days to 5.0 days GDP (LNTA, 2018). Visitor arrival by the region is majority come from Southeast Asia Nations which covered more than 80%, specifically the visitor from the Lancang-Mekong region including 46% from Thailand, 20.7% from Vietnam and 19.2% from China