VIENTIANE, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Tourist arrivals to the World Heritage town of Luang Prabang in northern Laos increased from over 500,000 person-times in 2015 to more than 601,000 person-times in 2016, the local tourism authority said on Tuesday.
"In 2017, we expect the number of tourists will rise to more than 700,000 because there are more flights between Luang Prabang and Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, the Republic of Korea and China," Soulithit Norkhounphol, Head of the Luang Prabang Provincial Information, Culture and Tourism Department, was quoted by state-run Vientiane Times as saying.
"We are also working on promoting our province to attract extra tourists, while the number of guest houses and hotels is now increasing with some under construction to serve domestic and overseas visitors during peak season," he added.
For the upcoming Chinese New Year at the end of January, the official said the town is expected to be full of Chinese tourists who will come to celebrate the new year and many hotels and guesthouses will be fully booked.
Luang Prabang, located some 220 km north of Lao capital Vientiane, was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1995 by UNESCO and since then has become one of the main tourist destinations in Laos.
The listing of Luang Prabang as a World Heritage Site also contributed to its economic growth, with an average of 8.2 percent per year, and average annual income of 11.6 million kip (1,420 U.S. dollars) per person.
In 2015, there were 61 hotels and 238 guesthouses in Luang Prabang with a total of 5,005 rooms, as well as 289 restaurants.
