CNI News
15 July 2022
Introducing the guest list management system in hotels in Myanmar has contributed not only to domestic and foreign guests but also to the country, according to Myanmar Tourism Entrepreneurs Association.
Chairman U Naung Naung Han of the MTEA said, “The government can collect data on whether a tourist visited Myanmar with the arrangement of a tour company or on a flexible independent travel or on business or on vacation. It can also collect data about the nationalities of tourists. Otherwise, we will have arrival data tourists gave at the airport and cannot know other data including destinations they went to. Now, we can know how long they stayed in Myanmar by studying data from hotels. If we know a tourist’s passport number, we can know where he stayed. If we learn that a tourist was infected with an infectious disease, we can know where he stayed and take necessary protective measures. If a tourist was robbed or had an accident, we can offer help at once.”
The Ministry of Hotels and Tourism has been implementing the GLMS as a health and safety measure.
The GLMS can record routes and other data of tourists.
A hotel in Nay Pyi Taw.
Although implementing the GLMS is beneficial for the hotel industry, some tourists do not want to give their data, a travel and tour agency told the CNI.
“It is not as bad as they think. There are advantages as well as disadvantages. Authorities have to ask for the personal details of tourists as it is necessary for them. Recently, they need to retrace the route of tourists. On the other hand, tourists do not want to give their details because of their privacy. As the current situation of the new normal requires such details, it is the responsibility of tourists to give their details. Tourists have to show their passport when they check in a hotel. Hotels can know their details from passports and where they came from and where they are going. If necessary, they need to give their details. I think tourists should accept this,” an official from the agency said.
Currently, there are more than 1,700 hotels that have registered to use the GLMS in the entire country, an official from the ministry told the CNI.
Guests at a hotel.
As the system is also in use in the international community, introducing it in Myanmar can enhance the security, tour agent U Thet Lwin Toe told the CNI.
U Ther Lwin Toe said, “At present, we should be especially cautious about security. As we don’t know who’s who, some control meauses must be taken. We can make up for security by registering tourists in the system. Such measures are also taken in other countries. I think if the police can do their work effectively, crime can be exposed. In other countries, the system is used for tracing crimes. It is not a violation of human rights even in democratic countries. One has to do one’s job. The system does not violate human rights. We must do what we should.”
As it is the rainy season, the number of domestic and foreign tourists has dropped and most foreign tourists come to Myanmar on business and only a few of them visit Myanmar on vacation, according to the MTEA.
