CNI News
8 Mar 2023
The number of domestic travellers to Bagan ancient cultural zone has increased and hotels in Bagan are receiving bookings for the Thingyan festival, according to Bagan-Nyaung-U tourism services.
As Bagan is relatively stable compared to other townships, domestic travellers will visit Bagan during the Thingyan festival but the number of domestic travellers to Bagan will not will not hit the level before the outbreak of COVID-19, Ko Kyaw Swar Lin from Bagan tourism service told the CNI.
He said, "We have received bookings for the Thingyan festival as usual. If domestic travellers do not book ahead, it is difficult for them to get rooms. So, they are making bookings for the festival. However, we cannot expect the number of travellers to Bagan to reach the level before the outbreak of COVID-19. As Bagan is relatively stable compared to nearby towns, domestic travellers are interested in visiting Bagan. It is expected that nearly the same number of pilgrims will visit Bagan during the festival."
A scene in Bagan
Recently, the number of pilgrims to Bagan has increased and about 10,000 pilgrims visit Bagan every day, according to the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism (Bagan Branch).
Domestic travellers are making arrangements to visit Bagan during the Thingyan festival but they will travel to Bagan with their own families under their own arrangements without buying packages from tour agencies. More people will visit Bagan than other destinations, Chairman U Naung Naung Han of the Myanmar Tour Entrepreneurs Association told the CNI.
He said, "I think the number of travellers to Bagan will increase during the Thingyan festival because people are making arrangements to visit Bagan. However, I don't know how many bookings have been made. Some travellers will go to beaches but others don't want to go to beaches again and again. So, they are preparing to go to Bagan with their families without buying packages from tour agencies. I am not sure whether the number of travellers to Bagan will be higher than recent years. Compared with other destinations, more travellers will visit Bagan."
A scene in Bagan
Normally, about 10,000 pilgrims visit Bagan every day and the number of pilgrims will increase during the Thingyan festival. During the 9-day Thingyan festival in 2022, about 200,000 pilgrims visited Bagan, according to the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism (Bagan Branch).
There are 154 hotels in Bagan but only 74 hotels have been reopened in accordance with COVID-19 rules and regulations, according to the ministry.
