International tourism as a tool for development in Lao PDR, Lao PDR has officially welcomed international tourists since 1989 (Hall,2000:183), and the country's first national tourism plan was published in 1990, placing emphasis on the development of the modest tourism industry based on high-end tightly controlled group tours. However, by 1995 tourism had become a priority for economic development (Schipani,2000:18) and the second National Tourism Development Plan, published in 1998, focused more widely on four major types of tourism (conventional sightseeing; special interest tourism, for example, eco and adventure tourism; cross-border tourism; and domestic tourism) to generate foreign exchange and stimulate economic activity.