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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Laos
Index
In line with the government's desire to increase
foreign
exchange earnings, Western tourists were first permitted
to enter
Laos in 1988, although just 600 persons visited, well
within the
official limit of 1,000. The following year, 2,600
tourists
visited, and in 1990, the figure increased by 130 percent,
to
approximately 6,000 tourists. The Ministry of Trade was
assigned
responsibility for the development of the tourism industry
in 1989.
In the following year, the government monopoly on the
industry was
removed, and nine private tourist agencies were
authorized. As of
1992, tourism was somewhat limited to group travel.
However, if an
individual has a Laotian sponsor who provides individual
sponsorship assurances, it is possible to receive a visa
without
being a member of an organized tour group.
Data as of July 1994
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