CNI News
9 Mar 2023
Myanmar tourism reached its heyday during the period from 2012 to 2019 but post-COVID-19 tourism is still struggling to reach its heyday level, tour entrepreneurs and hoteliers told the CNI.
Foreign tourist arrivals to Myanmar rose during the period from 2003 to 2006 and dropped from 2007 to 2011. However, the Myanmar tourism sector recovered in 2012 and reached its peak in 2019, welcoming 4.4 million tourists in that year alone.
The tourism sector is still struggling to survive due to the decreasing number of tourist arrivals, tour operators and hoteliers said.
Foreign tourists on a beach.
Tour Entrepreneur U That Lwin Toe told the CNI, "The number of tourist arrivals has dropped below one million at present to just a few hundred thousand. The tourism sector reached its heyday because of its image. There were investment opportunities and it was safe for tourists to visit tour destinations in our country. During the period from 2003 to 2007, the government introduced the visa-on-arrival system not only for diplomats but also for tourists. As tourists needed assistance from agents, they got service fees. And tour guides got jobs. Then, everything changed when the government offered online and e-visas and the government launched visa-free programs. As a result, the number of FIT tours increased. For example, ten tourists visited Myanmar. Three of them bought package tours. Seven of them visited the country with free visas or as independent travellers. All of them helped increase the tourism revenue of the country. What are barrier fields? Authorities need to understand the situation on the ground rather than saying fine words."
As foreign tourist arrivals contribute to an increase in GDP, tourist arrivals are important for the country, Chairman U Zaw Zaw of the Hoteliers Association (Shan State-North) told the CNI.
Compared with the previous situation, foreign countries think that stability has not been restored in Myanmar and tourist arrivals are still low, he added.
He told the CNI, "Neighbouring Thailand relies heavily on tourism. During the term of president U Thein Sein, Chinese citizens were allowed to enter Myanmar through Ruili-Muse by issuing border passes. Chinese citizens visited Myanmar by hundreds by coaches. Therefore, accommodation and food for them have to be arranged. Transportation services and souvenir shops were very busy. As Chinese citizens spent their money in our country, all people related to tourism businesses earned incomes. It is just an example."
Fourist tourists in Bagan.
Therefore, it is necessary to attract foreign tourists through various ways and means and the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism is required to listen to the advice of related associations and experts, tour entrepreneurs associations and hoteliers said.
U Thet Lwin Toe said, "Who is carrying out research? Only when research is conducted, will authorities know what are barriers. Number (1) barrier is visas. The government has not resumed the visa-on-arrival program. Visas are issued for embassies and online. Number (2) barrier is insurance. Tourists are required to buy insurance policies worth US$ 50, 60 or 70 to get visas without covering medical costs and the term of the insurance expires within two or three weeks. It shows that authorities are US$-thirsty. Some tourists do not like such practices."
Recovery of tourism depends a lot on the image of the country, according to tour entrepreneurs and hoteliers.
In addition, regional stability, rampant checkpoints, transportation delays also pose barriers to tourism. When transportation routes have to be changed, costs increase, according to them.
Relevant departments are required to cooperate for the development of tourism not by words but by studying the situation on the ground to resolve issues, they said.
