CNI News
29 Oct 2022
More people are likely to travel to resorts than pilgrimage sites during the Tazaungdaing Holiday due to the tragedy at the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda on 12th October during the Thadingyut Holiday, hoteliers and tour entrepreneurs told the CNI.
Hoteliers and tour operators have expected that more people will travel during the Tazaungdaing Holiday.
Chairman U Naung Naung Han of the Myanmar Tourism Entrepreneurs told the CNI, “There are not as many tour destinations as before due to security reasons and instabilities in some regions. So, people will be crowded at the destinations to which they can travel. Rooms have been almost fully booked at Chaungtha, Ngwe Saung and Ngapali beaches. Some people travel to Kalaw and Taunggyi. More people will travel during the Tazaungdaing Holiday than the Thadingyut Holiday. Some people are shocked by the tragedy at the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda. So, they will choose to go to less crowded destination. More people will go to beaches than pilgrimage sites, which will not be as busy as before. Some people will travel to Myeik by plane to visit Kawthaung and nearby islands. It is learnt that tour packages to the destinations are also brisk.”
The number of domestic tourists has increased since the Thadingyut Holiday with many people visiting tour destinations even during weekdays.
A large number of rooms have been booked for the Tazaungdaing Holiday in hotels in Shan State, especially those in Taunggyi and Kalaw, Deputy Director U Shthu Kyaw of Shan State Directorate of Hotels and Tourism told the CNI.
A scene at Chaungthar beach.
He said, “When we sought information from hotels as in a survey, many of them in Kalaw have been fully booked. Some of the domestic tourists are working guests. It is difficult to predict but more people will visit Shan State due to the Kyaiktiyo tragedy. The number of people travelling to Nyaungshwe will increase because domestic tourists from Taunggyi and Kalaw visit the destination on day-return trips for pilgrimage. We think we will receive more domestic tourists during the Tazaungdaing Holiday than the Thadingyut Holiday.
Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, most domestic tourists travelled to Taunggyi and PyinOoLwin because there were festivals in the hill resorts. However, there are no plans to organize the Tazaungdaing Festival in Taunggyi.
On the other hand, authorities are preparing to organize the Tazaungdaing Festival in PyinOoLwin from 4th to 8th November.
More people are likely to travel to such destinations than Rakhine State, Director U Tin Tun Aung of Rakhine State Directorate of Hotels and Tourism told the CNI.
He said, “More people prefer such destinations to Rakhine State during the festivals. However, we cannot surely say that they will not come to us but we will not receive as many domestic tourists as during the Thadingyut Holiday. During the festival, many people travel to Rakhine State as well as Bagan. More domestic tourists will travel to Taunggyi because they have to travel by plane to visit Rakhine State.”
If people can travel to the destinations without any worry for their safety and security during the Tazaungdaing Holiday, more and more people will travel to the destinations during the Christmas and New Year Holiday, according to tour operators.
