CNI News
27 Dec 2022
Thai tourists to Myanmar outnumbered their Chinese counterparts this year, Chairman U Naung Naung Han of the Myanmar Tour Entrepreneurs Association told the CNI.
The number of Thai tourists to Myanmar has increased since October and about tens of thousands of them came to Myanmar this year, he added.
He said, "The largest number of tourists to Myanmar were from Thailand. When tourism was reopened in Myanmar, there were only a few direct flights with China. There is only one direct flight to Guangzhou at present while at least eight or nine direct flights are operating between Myanmar and Thailand. Thai tourists visited Yangon, Bago and the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda on short visits like two-night-three-day and three-night-four-day trips. In Yangon, they made pilgrimages to the ShweDagon Pagoda and the Botahtaung Pagoda as they have the same lifestyle as us. They think they should visit such places at least once in their lifetime."
Foreign tourists.
Before the outbreak of COVID-19, the largest number of tourists to Myanmar were from China but most of them were visiting Myanmar not on pleasure but on business tours.
Compared with 2021, the year 2022 saw more domestic tourists and foreign tourist arrivals have improved for the post-COVID period, according to tour operators and hoteliers.
As more foreign tourists are expected to visit Myanmar in 2023, measures must be taken for domestic security, electricity supply, and compulsive selling of goods to tourists.
The Kyaiktiyo Pagoda.
Chairman U Zaw Weik of the Myanmar Hoteliers Association (Bagan Zone) told the CNI, "It is expected that foreign tourists, especially from China and Russia, will visit Myanmar in 2023. However, the electricity supply and political situation are out of our control. It is expected that tourists from the east market will visit Myanmar. We need to fix infrastructure problems. If electricity is not available, we will have to use diesel to operate generators. If we cannot get diesel, how can we promote our packages? First, we need to guarantee security. Second, electricity must be regularly supplied. It is impossible to attract tourists if security cannot be guaranteed, electricity cannot be supplied and diesel prices fail to decrease."
Some tour operators are preparing to participate in tourism fairs in the international community to attract foreign tourists to Myanmar in 2023.
The MTEA has anticipated that youths from China, Russia and Western countries will visit Myanmar in January, February and March in the upcoming year.
As direct flights have been launched between Myanmar and both Russia and China, the association anticipated that Chinese and Russian tourists will increase in 2023.
