The Lao PDR government is overhauling its tourism laws with the aim of improving safety and protecting historical and cultural artefacts.
The law has not been updated in nine years, though the country has changed a great deal. For one, tourism in Laos grew by an average of around 20 per cent per year from 1990 to 2012.
This growing influx of foreigners has caused various problems for cultural and historical sites that are not accustomed to accommodating so many visitors, such as vandalism of certain sites and disturbing the local communities.
Dealing with tourists has also been difficult because the current law does not clearly identify which government agencies have oversight and responsibility for tourists and the sites they visit. The new law makes it clear that local police have authority over visitors and their activities.
Thus, local authorities will now be tasked with ensuring the safety of tourists, which will probably require several policemen in some regions to be responsible for protecting tourists full time. Local authorities will also be responsible for the protection and oversight of historical and cultural places of interest, and so will now be policing tourists’ behaviour as well as protecting them from potential predation.
The updated law also seeks to improve the quality of tourism facilities in Laos. For instance, new standards of food safety will be imposed to ensure that guests at various entertainment venues are only served hygienic and reasonably priced food and drinks. Entertainment venues (such and night clubs, casinos, bars, and restaurants) will also have to provide a certain level of safety and cleanliness, and comply with noise restrictions.
The law will also prohibit any construction work that could lead to structural changes to heritage sites. This means that hotels, camp grounds, and shops will no longer be built near significant cultural, historical, and geographical sites. This aspect of the law will not only reduce annoyances like kiosks and souvenir peddlers around every shrine and waterfall, it will also preserve the structural integrity of these places for generations to come.