CNI News

20 October 2023

Booking hotel rooms in Bagan and Chaungtha for Thadingyut Holiday was almost full, local officials of the directorate of hotel and tourism told CNI News. 

Booking hotel rooms was from 27th to 30th October and this year the influx of foreign tourists was increasing, U Zaw Weik, chairman of Myanmar Hoteliers Association (Bagan Zone) told CNI News.

" Booking hotel rooms in Bagan for Thadingyut Holiday was almost full. Most of bookings are four days long during the Thadingyut holidays. It was just a few guests before the holiday. The rain has stopped in Bagan for about ten days. Guests come here not many not few. Foreigners are here too. Some foreigners such as Koreans, Greek and Thai come here as a group tour, but not so many. But in comparison with the last year, more foreigners have entered." he said.

At present there are a few hotel rooms for rent through out the Bagan region and booking hotel rooms this year for Thadingyut holiday has increased than the last year, U Win Aung, Deputy Director of Ministry of Hotel and Tourism (Bagan Branch) told CNI News. 

The reason why more guests will come to Bagan is possible because of easy transportation and because travellers can go to Bagan by air, by car and by train, he added.

Tourists who have come to Chaungtha Beach

" Because during the school holidays, families will come and friends will come. Especially, among the holidays, one is the special day for Buddhists. They will do charity work here. Here is spacious. There are many pagodas here. But it's not crowded at the same place. Guests might enjoy going from one place to another. Hotels are running some promotions such as selling food with entertainment. Some hotels are already releasing balloons. Promotions depend on the situations of hotels." said U Win Aung. Tourist arrivals to Bagan region have increased by 50 percent compared to last year, he added.

In Chaungtha, a beach area, hotel room bookings are already about 90 percent full, U Kyaw Zeya, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Hotel and Tourism (Ngapali Branch) told CNI News. 

Moreover, market festival and lighting festival would be held during Thadingyut holidays to support the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Chaungtha region, he said.

" Many guests came here in Chaungtha last year. But this year guest arrival has increased than last year. 500 to 600 guests come each day in the weekdays, but on the weekend, 1,300 to 1,400 guests come each day. SME market festival will start on 21st October for the development of tourism in Thadingyut. The products from eight districts will be shown with the supervisions of district administrators. Most of the people who come to Chaungtha are domestic tourists. Foreign tourists come to Nwe Saung because its beach is about nine miles long. But Chaungtha's beach is only 1.5 miles. Foreigners don't like short beaches." he said. 

However, hotel room bookings in Shan State where a lot of tourists tended to come in Thadingyut and Tazaungdaing are fewer than the last year, according to the Shan State Directorate of Hotel and Tourism.