CNI News

17 June 2023

Over 300,000 tourists entered Myanmar from January to May this year, U Aung Aye Han, deputy director general of ministry of hotel and tourism told CNI.

The tourists entered Myanmar through border gates and airlines and most of tourists are from China and Thailand, according to the ministry.

" Totally 319248 tourists entered. At a time like this in 2022, over 60,000 tourists only entered.Because people were worried about Covid-19 till 2022. Now that it is considered as a normal dicease, the number of tourists has increased." he said.

tourists on U Pain Bridge

But tourist arrival fell to zero percent in northern Shan State starting from May this year, said Northern Shan State Hotel Operator Association.

The reason why it fell like this is because tourists have not been allowed to enter the country through airlines, U Zaw Zaw, chairperson of Northern Shan State Hotel Operator Association told CNI.

" Tourism had risen to 100 percent for over a year here. Now that tourists don't come, hotel rooms are empty.Hotel business are badly affacted, especially small hotels  find it difficult to go on existing" he said.

Tourist arrival tend to decrease in the rainy esason, said the hotel operator association.
To make more tourists enter when it's open season, discussions about visas in addition to other tourism sectors are underway, said U Aung Aye Han.

  the Shwedagon Pagoda

"We are coordinating and having discussions with relevant ministries in relation to visa exemption that had been given in the past and visa on arrival. I hope tourism will be better in the coming open season in comparison with previous years." he said.

Most of the tourists who entered in the first months this year went to the landmarks such as Yangon, Mandalay, Inlay and Pagan. Short term travellers went to around Yangon and Bago only.