VIENTIANE, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- Lao commercial bank Banque Pour Le Commerce Exterieur Lao Public (BCEL), one of the largest commercial banks in Laos, has developed a mobile application to help tourists acquire Lao currency kip without local accounts while traveling in the country during the Visit Laos Year 2024.
The application EZyKip was officially launched in Lao capital Vientiane on Jan. 18, aiming to facilitate foreign visitors, Lao national TV reported on Thursday.
The BCEL is aiming to improve the travel experience of foreign tourists who do not have a deposit account with the BCEL and have not used BCEL products before.
The EZykip can be used like an electronic wallet, enabling people to withdraw cash from BCEL's ATMs nationwide by scanning a QR Code without fees.
Laos is hosting the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2024 this week and will host many other meetings during its chairmanship of ASEAN throughout 2024.
This year is viewed as a golden opportunity for Laos to advertise its tourist destinations to a huge international audience.
The Lao government expects to attract at least 2.7 million foreign tourists in 2024, generating about 401 million U.S. dollars in revenue, while in 2025 tourist arrivals are forecast to reach 2.9 million, generating an income of 434 million dollars. ■