The Ambassador of Laos to Malaysia, Sengmane, said that Laos, with a population of around 8 million, continues to develop its tourism sector and hopes to learn from Malaysia.
He pointed out that last year, Laos received 4.6 million foreign tourist visits, an increase of 11% year-on-year, surpassing its original target of 4.3 million; in contrast, Malaysia’s international tourist numbers exceeded its total population.
“Last year, the number of international tourists Malaysia received exceeded its population. Laos, which owns four UNESCO World Heritage Sites, hopes to learn how Malaysia has achieved such a feat.”
He said this in an exclusive interview with Bernama at his office, in conjunction with the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Laos and Malaysia.
According to Malaysia’s Department of Statistics, the country’s estimated population in the fourth quarter of 2025 will be 34.3 million, while the total number of international tourist arrivals throughout 2025 is expected to reach 42.2 million.
Additionally, Sengmane said that people-to-people exchanges and educational cooperation between the two countries have a long history and continue to deliver lasting benefits; since the early 2000s, hundreds of Lao students have received scholarships from both governments to pursue studies in Malaysia.
“Today, many Lao students who graduated from Malaysian universities hold senior positions in the public and private sectors in Laos, including deputy ministers and directors.”
He said that although the Lao government’s scholarship program was temporarily suspended due to financial constraints during the COVID-19 pandemic, Malaysia remains the top study-abroad destination for Lao students, thanks to its high-quality education system and strong reputation within ASEAN.
Currently, about 20 self-funded Lao students are pursuing their studies in Malaysia.
Moreover, he pointed out that since the launch of the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP), more than 2,000 participants from Laos have benefited from it, including through specialized seminars, internship arrangements, and fully-funded training programs.
“The MTCP continues to play an important role in strengthening Laos’ human capital development and institutional capacity, and we hope this cooperation will expand into new fields such as the digital economy, finance, and high-tech manufacturing.”