Laos is rapidly becoming a significant market for airport advertising, OOH advertising, and digital media, particularly in Vientiane Wattay International Airport and Luang Prabang International Airport. With a surge in tourist arrivals, foreign investments, and aviation expansion, airports are prime locations for high-impact advertising. After a recent trip to Laos, we are impressed with the benefits of airport advertising in Laos and we are freshly back with the latest OOH advertising trends, and how our international clients can leverage digital and static airport media to capture a global audience.
The Growing Potential of Airport Advertising in Laos
Why Choose Airport Advertising?
As Laos continues to expand its tourism and business sectors, airports serve as a key touchpoint for premium audiences, including international travellers, business executives, and expatriates. Airport advertising offers unparalleled brand exposure, long dwell times, and the opportunity to target a captive audience. With millions of passengers passing through Lao airports annually, advertisers can capitalize on premium ad placements to maximize brand awareness.
Vientiane Wattay International Airport (VTE)
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Passenger Numbers: Over 1.5 million passengers in 2023, reflecting a 45% year-on-year increase due to rising tourism and business travel.
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Flight Purposes: Business travel, government delegations, medical tourism, and leisure travel from Thailand, China, and ASEAN markets.
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Key Airlines: Lao Airlines, Thai Airways, Vietnam Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Bangkok Airways, AirAsia, Scoot, and China Southern Airlines.
Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ)
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Passenger Numbers: 750,000 passengers in 2023, marking a 50% increase compared to pre-pandemic levels.
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Flight Purposes: High-end luxury travel, eco-tourism, wellness retreats, and cultural heritage tourism.
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Key Airlines: Bangkok Airways, Thai Smile, Lao Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, and China Eastern Airlines, with frequent charter flights catering to affluent tourists.
Key Benefits of Airport Advertising:
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High Visibility: Airports provide 24/7 exposure to passengers from various demographics.
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Targeting an Affluent Audience: Business travelers, high-spending tourists, and frequent flyers are ideal for luxury, retail, and hospitality brands.
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Extended Dwell Time: With wait times at security checkpoints, baggage claims, and lounges, advertisements have a prolonged engagement period.
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Multiple Touchpoints: Ads can be placed in departure halls, arrival gates, baggage claims, lounges, duty-free zones, and check-in counters.
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Digital Integration: DOOH advertising (Digital Out-of-Home), including LED screens, QR code-enabled ads, and interactive touchpoints that provide charging facilities on the digital LCD screens thus increasing engagement.
Insights into Key Tourism Markets: Thailand, ASEAN, China, and Luxury Travelers
Tourism from Thailand and ASEAN
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Thailand is the largest inbound tourism market for Laos, accounting for nearly 40% of all foreign visitors. With improved connectivity through low-cost carriers like AirAsia and Bangkok Airways, Thai tourists frequently visit Laos for weekend getaways, adventure tourism, and cultural experiences.
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Other ASEAN travellers (Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore) are increasingly exploring Laos, particularly for nature-based tourism, festivals, and religious tourism.
The Chinese Tourist Boom
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Chinese tourists are returning in large numbers, with Laos becoming a key destination for cross-border travel and luxury tourism. The China-Laos Railway has also increased accessibility, leading to a 30% rise in Chinese visitors in the first half of 2024.
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Shopping, casino tourism, and business travel are the main drivers for Chinese travelers in Laos, particularly in Vientiane and northern Laos.
The Rise of Luxury Tourism
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High-end tourism is on the rise, with five-star hotels and boutique resorts opening in Luang Prabang and Vientiane.
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Luxury travelers, including those from Europe, China, and the U.S., seek wellness retreats, sustainable tourism experiences, and cultural heritage stays.
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Luxury hotel brands like Melia, Hilton, and Centara are expanding in Laos, creating new advertising opportunities for premium brands at airports.
Format of Airport Advertising and Outdoor Advertising in Lao Airports
Airports in Laos provide a variety of outdoor advertising formats, ensuring brands can engage travellers at multiple touchpoints. Static billboards offer large-format, high-resolution displays that capture attention in key areas like baggage claim, back of check-in counters, arrival halls Static advertising can be both lightboxes or sticker-based advertising which allows brands to target travelers at moments of engagement, such as when retrieving luggage or preparing for flights. Illuminated signage, lightboxes wall wraps are well positioned in the transit corridors, food and beverages and duty-free areas provide providing premium advertising opportunities for brands, while floor graphics and digital wayfinding including back of seats advertising in the departure waiting zones create additional brand touchpoints. These formats, combined with DOOH (Digital Out-of-Home) screens, provide a comprehensive advertising strategy within airport environments.
The Rise of Digital OOH (DOOH) Advertising in Lao Airports
The Future of Digital Advertising in Lao Airports
With the rapid development of smart digital displays, airport advertising in Laos is evolving.
Digital Out of Home advertising (DOOH) advertising allows brands to engage audiences dynamically, increasing the effectiveness of airport advertising campaigns.
Most of the digital screens in Vientiane Wattay International Airport are located in the international departure areas which makes sense as the passengers will have high lingering time. One of the biggest LED digital screen is right outside the passport control immigration check on level 2 of the airport. It is 4.00m(H) x 6.00m(W) and it is appropriate for playing both static images and short dynamic videos as it is 100% viewable by departing passengers and head-on via the escalators. Arriving passengers can also be exposed to this giant digital screen as the linger for the money exchanges or the access the food and dining options.
Key Industries Benefiting from Airport Advertising in Laos
Who Should Advertise at Lao Airports?
Businesses that benefit most from airport advertising in Laos include:
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Luxury brands: Watches, Jewelry, and Designer Goods
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Hospitality and tourism: Hotels, Resorts, and Travel Agencies
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Automobile Brands: EVs, Luxury Cars, and Rental Services
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Financial services: Banks, Investment Firms, and Fintech Brands,
Payment Gateway and Tourism Support
- Retail and Duty-Free Stores: Fashion, Cosmetics, and Electronics
The Perfect Media Group: Your Airport Advertising Partner in Laos
As a leader in OOH and airport advertising in Singapore, Indonesia, South East Asia (ASEAN), The Perfect Media Group offers:
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Strategic airport ad placements in Wattay and Luang Prabang Airports
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Customizable OOH and DOOH advertising solutions
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Targeted campaigns for high-value audiences
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End-to-end ad management, including design, installation, and monitoring
Unlock Your Brand’s Potential with Airport Advertising
Airport advertising in Laos is a powerful tool for brand visibility and engagement. With high-traffic locations, digital innovations, and premium audience targeting, businesses can maximize their marketing efforts. For expert airport advertising solutions and ASEAN network, partner with The Perfect Media Group today.
Get Started
Explore high-impact airport advertising opportunities in Laos with The Perfect Media Group. See our other airport locations in ASEAN including
Indonesia – Jakarta, Medan and Bali
The largest departure digital advertising LED screen in Medan Kualanamu International Airport (third largest airport in Indonesian here
The newest international arrival digital advertising LED screen in I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport Bali. The Medan Kualanamu International Airport – serving one of the most popular island destinations hubs in Asia here
PS: What is the best island to visit in Asia?
Best Islands
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Bali, Indonesia 😉
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Maldives.
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Phuket, Thailand.
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Koh Samui, Thailand.
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Boracay, Philippines.
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Phu Quoc, Vietnam.
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Langkawi, Malaysia.
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Penang, Malaysia.
