CNI News
17 August 2023
Myanmar was included in the countries that allowed Chinese nationals to travel in group, which Chinese ministry of culture and tourism had stated.
So, Myanmar should re-grant Chinese tourists visa on arrival that was granted before, said tourism operators.
As there are only three Myanmar embassies in China, visa is inconvenient for Chinese tourists when they come to Myanmar. So, Chinese tourists should be granted visa on arrival and the government should lay down the travelling policy after negotiating with tour guides, said U Thet Lwin Toe, managing director of the Myanmar Voyages International Tourism to CNI News.
" If Chinese tourists are granted visa on arrival, it will be convenient. Discussion to grant visa on arrival are under way. Like that India and China were granted visa on arrival in the past, they should be re-granted that we have told officials because China is very spacious. Myanmar embassies are in Nanning, Kumin an Peking only. So, it's not easy for Chinese tourists to go and take visas in Myanmar embassies. And airlines are expanding their business. Tourists who come are connected with tour agents and they will travel with tours and tour guides. It will be better if they go with our policies." he said.
Pilgrims who arrive at Bagan
The Chinese government suspended to allow travelling abroad in group starting from January 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the Chinese government has allowed travelling abroad in group now.
Most Chinese tourists come to Mandalay from which they tend to go to Bagan, Shan State and beach areas reportedly. Because stability is weak in Myanmar currently, it is not convenient to go to Bagan from Mandalay.
So, it would be convenient for tourists to go to Bagan from Mandalay by flight, said U Zaw Weik, chairman of of the Association of Hotel Operators (Pagan Zone) to CNI News.
security forces deployed in front of a hotel in Naypyidaw
" The problem is that any plane doesn't come to Bagan. So, tourists will come to Bagan from Mandalay by road. But motor roads are not convenient because they have to go through Myingyan and Nahtogyi where fighting takes place very often. So, if small planes fly between Mandalay and Bagan, it will be convenient. I don't think authorities will do so. The minister doesn't know anything about this field. Because he doesn't even have a guesthouse of his own, he doesn't know about tourism. The tourists will arrive in Mandalay. But the tourists want to come to Bagan. It will not be convenient to go to Bagan or Kalaw by car. If the plane flies to Bagan from Mandalay four times a week, it will be convenient. If so, the tourists can sleep one or two nights at Bagan. If there's anything wrong on the motor road, relevant people will get into trouble." he said.
Because the number of tourists who enter Myanmar have decreased lately, if the Chinese tourists come in group, it will be beneficial to the regional people, said U Tin Aung Naing, director of the Shan State Ministry of Hotel and Tourism to CNI News.
" There are two official trade gates in Shan State. One is Muse and the other is Chinshwehaw. We don't know yet which gate will be allowed. Chinese tourists can enter as a package tour. They will come to Lashio. And they will come to Inlay. In any case, when a lot of tourists don't come, if tourists come, it will be beneficial to the regions they will come to." he said.
Tourists are forbidden to come to northern Shan State by flight, they can come to Yangon and Mandalay by flight and through border gates, said travel operators.
