Kasikorn Research Centre forecasts Laotian travellers to Thailand will increase to 990,000 visits and generate Bt20 billion in tourism revenue by the end of the year. It will lift Laos to third place after Malaysia and China as the top supply markets The centre said infrastructure development within Lao PDR, particularly land transport links with other countries — Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and China – is changing the country from being land-locked to ‘land-linked’ which is driving outbound travel. It is partly due to economic development policies that have increased income and collaboration with international organisations as well as Asian governments. Better land links are opening up two-way overland travel and trade with neighbours and Thailand is benefitting from more business and leisure visits. There are three Mekong River bridges connecting highways between Thailand and Laos located at Nong Khai, Mukdahan and Nakhon Phanom, while the fourth is due to open next year near Chiang Khong in Chiang Rai province. The construction of these bridges accelerated road improvements on either side of the border and also resulted in an upgrade in checkpoints that have facilitated a smoother flow in tourism and business travel. Although Laos opened up in 1986, the government only focused on tourism since 1999 when it celebrated Lao Tourism National Year 1999 to 2000. According to the Laos National Tourism Authority, there were 1.10 million leisure visits to the country in 2005 and that increased to 2.51 million in 2010. During the five years, tourist arrivals grew 18% per year. Thailand was a top source of business followed by Vietnam and China. Thais outbound travel to Laos, 1999 to 2011, increased 30.5% per year — 63,800 Thais visits in 1999 and 926,000 visits last year, according to the Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports. Thai tourist spend increased 18% year-on-year — from Bt714 million in 1999 to Bt10,144 million in 2011. From ttrweekly