A delegation from Laos visited Qingdao recently for a four-day cultural and tourism inspection tour, marking the first such delegation from Laos to visit Qingdao in several years. The visit follows the June 5 joint statement on building a China-Laos community with a shared future, which called for renewed cultural and tourism cooperation.

The delegation explored Qingdao's major cultural and tourism attractions, starting with CRRC Sifang, the manufacturer of the "Fuxing" and "Lancang" bullet trains used on the China-Laos railway.

They visited the historic villas of Qingdao's Badaguan scenic area, the Qingdao Guest House, the Tsingtao Beer Museum, and the Laoshan Mountain scenic area, as well as the three main venues of the Qingdao International Beer Festival in the Qingdao West Coast New Area, Laoshan district, and the historic Dabaodao Cultural and Leisure Block.

The delegation was particularly impressed by the beer festival model combining beer, food, performances, and social activities, and saw significant potential for promoting it in the Lao market.

At a roundtable meeting, the Lao delegation proposed a cooperation blueprint. Qingdao tourism authorities noted that Laos is a key emerging inbound market for the city and that this visit provides valuable insights for developing Lao-specific tourism products. Both sides will continue deepening cooperation in product promotion, visitor exchanges, and cultural exchanges.

The Laos delegation takes in the breathtaking mountain and sea views from the summit of Laoshan Mountain scenic area in Qingdao. [Photo/Guanhai News]