The Lao people are eagerly anticipating the arrival of Chinese tourists on the first cross-border passenger train to be launched on the China-Laos Railway. The train will operate between the Lao capital, Vientiane, and Kunming, the capital of southwest China’s Yunnan province. Over 200 Chinese tourists are expected to arrive in Laos on the first train, with many Laotians expressing their readiness to welcome them online. The tourism industry is a crucial sector for Laos, as it is a main source of foreign currency. The country hopes to recover from the pandemic and has estimated that around 368,000 Chinese tourists will visit Laos this year, up 21 percent from 2022. The China-Laos Railway has seen an increasing demand for its services since its operation in December 2021.