(KPL)  The Department of Tourism Management under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism organized an open seminar to improve the Draft Decree on the Tourism Fund nationwide on February 2, 2026, in Vientiane Capital. The seminar was conducted in a semi-online format and chaired by Mr. Khampao Vannavong, Deputy Director General of the Inspection Department, Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

The meeting was attended by heads of relevant departments, representatives from concerned sectors, and stakeholders involved in tourism management and development.

The seminar aimed to openly solicit opinions and suggestions from all relevant sectors on the Draft Decree on the Tourism Fund, which serves as an important piece of subordinate legislation for mobilizing tourism-related revenue as part of the national budget. The Tourism Fund is intended to support the development, promotion, and management of tourism activities nationwide, ensuring quality growth and long-term sustainability of the tourism sector in the Lao PDR.

The Tourism Fund was initially established in 1989 under the Resolution of the Council of Ministers No. 91/CM, dated October 4, 1989. It was later incorporated into the amended Tourism Law No. 32/NA, dated July 24, 2013. In 2017, the Government issued the Prime Minister’s Decree on the Tourism Fund No. 119/PM, dated April 10, 2017.

Most recently, the Tourism Fund is stipulated in Articles 74, 75, and 76 of the amended Tourism Law No. 63/NA, dated July 1, 2024. To effectively implement this law and replace Prime Minister’s Decree No. 119/PM, the Government has prepared a new Draft Decree on the Tourism Fund to better reflect current conditions and the expansion of the tourism sector in the new development period.

The draft decree was approved in principle at the Government’s regular meeting in August 2025. Subsequently, a responsible inter-ministerial committee—comprising the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Finance, and the Bank of the Lao PDR—held consultation meetings on October 31 and November 14, 2025, to further study and revise the draft in line with the conclusions of the Government meeting.

The seminar held on February 2, 2026, represents another step to ensure the draft decree is more comprehensive and practical. It allows all relevant sectors to contribute opinions based on applicable laws and regulations and the guiding principles of the Government, prior to submitting the draft for final approval and official promulgation

KPL