ASEAN Rail Tourism Corridor Takes Center Stage at Mekong Tourism Forum 2025
Laos hosted the Mekong Tourism Forum 2025 in Luang Prabang from 24 to 27 June, spotlighting the proposed ASEAN Rail Tourism Corridor (ARTC) as a key initiative to boost regional travel and connectivity.
Held under the theme “United Journey – Stronger Together,” the forum brought together tourism officials and business leaders from Laos, Cambodia, China, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam to discuss ways to improve cross-border travel.
A key session was the first Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Tourism Private Sector Workshop on 25 June, which focused on strengthening regional connectivity through initiatives such as the ARTC.
The ARTC aims to link major cities, including Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Nong Khai, Vientiane, and Boten, through upgraded rail systems and streamlined immigration processes to make travel across Southeast Asia more efficient.
Phase 1 of the project (2024–2029) will focus on infrastructure readiness, border coordination, and intergovernmental collaboration. It builds on existing networks like the Laos–China Railway and the Laos–Thailand rail link, which have already enhanced mobility in the region.
By expanding these connections, the ARTC is expected to drive tourism growth and support more sustainable, inclusive development across the Greater Mekong Subregion.
The forum also introduced the GMS Tourism Strategy 2030, a regional framework designed to encourage high-quality, sustainable tourism and help the region recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The strategy prioritizes development in lesser-known destinations and aims to distribute tourism benefits more evenly.
MTF 2025 concluded with the announcement that Myanmar as the next host of the forum in 2026.
Local Experiences and Regional Recovery in Focus
Alongside the main sessions, a tourism exhibition showcased cultural products, local food, and community-based travel experiences, highlighting the region’s commitment to sustainable tourism.
Phouthone Dalalom, Deputy Director General of the Tourism Marketing Department at Laos’s Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, emphasized the importance of visitors from neighboring countries and said he hopes the forum will help increase tourist arrivals and strengthen regional ties.
Hin Nam No National Park in Khammouane Province was officially inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on 13 July, during the 47th Session of the World Heritage Committee in Paris, France.
The designation establishes Hin Nam No as a Transboundary World Heritage Site, formally linking it with Vietnam’s Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park to create the world’s largest contiguous limestone karst landscape.
Covering 94,121 hectares in southeastern Laos, Hin Nam No represents one of the most significant protected areas in the Central Annamite Mountains along the Laos-Vietnam border.
This protected area demonstrates remarkable geological complexity through its pristine woodland, imposing limestone precipices, remote valleys, and 173 documented caverns. The centerpiece remains the Xe Bang Fai Cave, world’s largest functioning underground river system.
The name “Hin Nam No,” meaning “mountain crest, spiky as bamboo shoots,” aptly describes the rugged limestone formations that have evolved over 300 million years of geology. Some of the park’s dramatic cliffs soar over 300 meters high.
Hin Nam No serves as a sanctuary for numerous rare and endangered species, many of which are endemic to the region. Located within the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot, home to over 1,500 plant and 536 vertebrate species, including globally threatened animals like the Red-Shanked Douc Langur, Sunda Pangolin, Lao Rock Rat, and Giant Huntsman Spider.
Hin Nam No is not only a natural place, but also a combination site of cultural and historical significance. Several ethnic minority communities reside within its boundaries, each maintaining distinct traditions, customs, and lifestyles.
https://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Hin-Nam-NO.jpg6271200Sylivanla Vongphachanhhttps://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lao-Simply-Beautiful-.webpSylivanla Vongphachanh2025-07-22 01:17:002025-07-15 11:19:23Laos’ Hin Nam No National Park Officially Becomes a Laos’ 4th UNESCO World Heritage Site
Laos is stepping up efforts to tackle climate-related food insecurity and open new export opportunities, with USD 68.5 million in support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and partners to modernize agriculture in six climate-vulnerable provinces.
The new Sustainable Agrifood Systems Sector Project, running from 2025 to 2030, will focus on improving food security, nutrition, and climate resilience in three northern provinces—Xayabouly, Phongsaly, and Houaphanh, and three southern ones, Salavanh, Sekong, and Champasack.
Backed by a mix of loans and grants from the ADB, the EU-ASEAN Catalytic Green Finance Facility, and the ASEAN Infrastructure Fund, the project reflects the growing need to protect food systems from climate shocks while increasing farm productivity and export potential.
At the center of the plan is climate-resilient farming.
Smallholder farmers will receive hands-on training to adapt to changing weather, with a focus on high-value crops like bamboo, coffee, and durian that suit both market demand and local conditions.
The project also offers affordable microfinance options to help farmers and rural businesses stay afloat during extreme weather. Key infrastructure such as irrigation systems and rural roads will be upgraded to allow year-round farming and easier access to markets.
Community involvement and gender inclusion are also major parts of the plan. Both men and women will help lead and maintain local infrastructure projects, ensuring long-term success and shared responsibility.
By tackling climate risks, food shortages, and trade barriers all at once, the project marks a big step in preparing Laos’s rural economy for a more unpredictable future.
https://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/LT-FB-Square-Template-1.jpg6271200Sylivanla Vongphachanhhttps://www.tourismlaos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lao-Simply-Beautiful-.webpSylivanla Vongphachanh2025-07-21 11:15:352025-07-15 11:16:56Laos Launches Climate-Smart Farming Project in Six Provinces
ASEAN Rail Tourism Corridor Takes Center Stage at Mekong Tourism Forum 2025
ASEAN Rail Tourism Corridor Takes Center Stage at Mekong Tourism Forum 2025
Laos hosted the Mekong Tourism Forum 2025 in Luang Prabang from 24 to 27 June, spotlighting the proposed ASEAN Rail Tourism Corridor (ARTC) as a key initiative to boost regional travel and connectivity.
Held under the theme “United Journey – Stronger Together,” the forum brought together tourism officials and business leaders from Laos, Cambodia, China, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam to discuss ways to improve cross-border travel.
A key session was the first Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Tourism Private Sector Workshop on 25 June, which focused on strengthening regional connectivity through initiatives such as the ARTC.
The ARTC aims to link major cities, including Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Nong Khai, Vientiane, and Boten, through upgraded rail systems and streamlined immigration processes to make travel across Southeast Asia more efficient.
Phase 1 of the project (2024–2029) will focus on infrastructure readiness, border coordination, and intergovernmental collaboration. It builds on existing networks like the Laos–China Railway and the Laos–Thailand rail link, which have already enhanced mobility in the region.
By expanding these connections, the ARTC is expected to drive tourism growth and support more sustainable, inclusive development across the Greater Mekong Subregion.
The forum also introduced the GMS Tourism Strategy 2030, a regional framework designed to encourage high-quality, sustainable tourism and help the region recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The strategy prioritizes development in lesser-known destinations and aims to distribute tourism benefits more evenly.
MTF 2025 concluded with the announcement that Myanmar as the next host of the forum in 2026.
Local Experiences and Regional Recovery in Focus
Alongside the main sessions, a tourism exhibition showcased cultural products, local food, and community-based travel experiences, highlighting the region’s commitment to sustainable tourism.
Phouthone Dalalom, Deputy Director General of the Tourism Marketing Department at Laos’s Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, emphasized the importance of visitors from neighboring countries and said he hopes the forum will help increase tourist arrivals and strengthen regional ties.
Laos’ Hin Nam No National Park Officially Becomes a Laos’ 4th UNESCO World Heritage Site
Hin Nam No National Park in Khammouane Province was officially inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on 13 July, during the 47th Session of the World Heritage Committee in Paris, France.
The designation establishes Hin Nam No as a Transboundary World Heritage Site, formally linking it with Vietnam’s Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park to create the world’s largest contiguous limestone karst landscape.
Covering 94,121 hectares in southeastern Laos, Hin Nam No represents one of the most significant protected areas in the Central Annamite Mountains along the Laos-Vietnam border.
This protected area demonstrates remarkable geological complexity through its pristine woodland, imposing limestone precipices, remote valleys, and 173 documented caverns. The centerpiece remains the Xe Bang Fai Cave, world’s largest functioning underground river system.
The name “Hin Nam No,” meaning “mountain crest, spiky as bamboo shoots,” aptly describes the rugged limestone formations that have evolved over 300 million years of geology. Some of the park’s dramatic cliffs soar over 300 meters high.
Hin Nam No serves as a sanctuary for numerous rare and endangered species, many of which are endemic to the region. Located within the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot, home to over 1,500 plant and 536 vertebrate species, including globally threatened animals like the Red-Shanked Douc Langur, Sunda Pangolin, Lao Rock Rat, and Giant Huntsman Spider.
Hin Nam No is not only a natural place, but also a combination site of cultural and historical significance. Several ethnic minority communities reside within its boundaries, each maintaining distinct traditions, customs, and lifestyles.
Hin Nam No becomes the country’s fourth World Heritage Site, following the Town of Luang Prabang (inscribed in 1995), Vat Phou and Associated Ancient Settlements within the Champasack Cultural Landscape (2001), and the Megalithic Jar Sites in Xiengkhuang-Plain of Jars (2019).
Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2025/07/14/laos-hin-nam-no-national-park-officially-becomes-a-laos-4th-unesco-world-heritage-site/
Laos Launches Climate-Smart Farming Project in Six Provinces
Laos is stepping up efforts to tackle climate-related food insecurity and open new export opportunities, with USD 68.5 million in support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and partners to modernize agriculture in six climate-vulnerable provinces.
The new Sustainable Agrifood Systems Sector Project, running from 2025 to 2030, will focus on improving food security, nutrition, and climate resilience in three northern provinces—Xayabouly, Phongsaly, and Houaphanh, and three southern ones, Salavanh, Sekong, and Champasack.
Backed by a mix of loans and grants from the ADB, the EU-ASEAN Catalytic Green Finance Facility, and the ASEAN Infrastructure Fund, the project reflects the growing need to protect food systems from climate shocks while increasing farm productivity and export potential.
At the center of the plan is climate-resilient farming.
Smallholder farmers will receive hands-on training to adapt to changing weather, with a focus on high-value crops like bamboo, coffee, and durian that suit both market demand and local conditions.
The project also offers affordable microfinance options to help farmers and rural businesses stay afloat during extreme weather. Key infrastructure such as irrigation systems and rural roads will be upgraded to allow year-round farming and easier access to markets.
Community involvement and gender inclusion are also major parts of the plan. Both men and women will help lead and maintain local infrastructure projects, ensuring long-term success and shared responsibility.
By tackling climate risks, food shortages, and trade barriers all at once, the project marks a big step in preparing Laos’s rural economy for a more unpredictable future.
Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2025/07/09/laos-launches-climate-smart-farming-project-in-six-provinces/