Myanmar (Burma) rebrands itself to woo more tourists

DESPITE the current decline in tourists coming from Europe and the Americas due to international media coverage of conflicts in Rakhine state, Myanmar remains confident it can attract foreign visitors in the months to come, according to officials and industry leaders.

The nation will promote its natural attractions and traditions to raise tourists’ interest, May Myat Mon Win, chairwoman of Myanmar Tourism Marketing (MTM), said in an exclusive interview with The Nation. 

“We have a lot of unexplored attractions across the country. This does not mean that we are not yet ready [for a tourism boom]. With authenticity and commitment, everything is possible,” she said.

According to her, it is now time to take another step in the “Myanmar, be enchanted” rebranding campaign launched in late 2018. From this year onwards, Myanmar will mainly focus on tourism marketing by participating in international travel shows, maintaining its current attractions and creating new destinations.

As part of MTM’s efforts to promote Myanmar’s tourism, it will have a booth at the ITB Berlin, the world’s largest tourism trade fair to be held in Germany next month. 

The presence at such an international event would pave a way for promoting Myanmar’s tourism on the international stage, said the executive.“We are now trying to improve our image. In the meanwhile, we are also targeting new markets. 

So, we need to raise visitors’ awareness about Myanmar. 

In this respect, promotion matters,” she said.Myanmar has adopted a “Look East” policy to attract visitors from Asia and develop its tourism sector. Yet, May Myat Mon Win insists Myanmar remains optimistic about increasing tourism visitors from the West.

“Definitely we look to the East but will also maintain the West on our radar. We are willing to grow simultaneously but need to be realistic in some cases,” she said.

Last year, Myanmar received far fewer Western visitors than in 2017. The number of European tourists dropped by 25 per cent, those from the Middle East were down 26 per cent, and Australians also declined by 19 per cent. American tourists were down 13 per cent, according to the statistics. 

Yet, Myanmar enjoyed 37 per cent growth in Chinese tourists’ arrivals and 9 per cent growth from Thailand, as well as a rise in Indian visits last year compared to 2017.“This year, we hope to receive more tourists from both Asia and the West. 

At this point, the most important thing is to ensure more people know about Myanmar and we are striving for that,” she said.She stressed the importance of key destinations – Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay, and Inle Lake, which she described as the “big four”. 

Additionally, the organisation focuses on helping build awareness of new destinations such as Hpaan, Loikaw, Chin State, Myeik Archipelago and Mogok, to name a few.“Another move is to expand direct air links to our attractions. 

We are also trying for that, and hope to see more direct flights to major destinations in the months to come,” she said.In late January, China’s Hainan Airlines launched a direct flight between Yangon and Chongqing in China, which is now running four times weekly. 

Earlier last month, Sichuan Airlines launched direct flights from Chongqing to Mandalay. 

Cambodia and Myanmar last week discussed the possibility of establishing a direct flight between the ancient cities of Bagan and Siem Reap.

May Myat Mon Win repeatedly stressed the need for a national tourism marketing strategy that aligns with international standards.“It should be properly designed for practical approaches to raise the bar. It needs to be realistic and practical,” she said.

Thet Lwin Toh, chairman of Union of Myanmar Travel Association (UMTA), echoed her view. He also stressed the importance of ensuring sustainability in key destinations.

“We need to strike a balance between demand and capacity. 

This means we need to ensure all our destinations are not squeezed by over-capacity in the market,” he said.

He suggested investing in infrastructure and capacity building to unlock Myanmar’s tourism potential.

“We need to ensure our readiness before we open the doors. We should have effective strategies to lure luxury tourists in place, and this is another important area we are focused on,” he said.

He lauded the government’s reforms, including approval of visa-free travel for Japanese and Korean tourists, and issuing visa-on-arrival for Chinese visitors. 

UMTA has urged the tourism ministry to also allow visa-free travels for visitors from some European countries.

“The ministry is now taking it into serious consideration. Later this year, they may allow some Western countries to visit Myanmar without the need to apply for a visa,” he said.

He warned of “zero-dollar tours” by Chinese tour companies.  In order to ensure sustainability of locals engaged in Myanmar’s tourism industry, the government needs to set proper mechanisms to ensure that locals benefit from every single tour.

He considers a surge in Chinese tourists as a plus for tourism development in Myanmar. And he foresees a substantial increase in Korean tourists in the coming months.

Aung Aye Han, deputy director-general at the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, agrees. “Following the visa waiver, Japan and Korea are among the most promising countries driving our tourism revenue. 

We are now reviewing our next steps. You are sure to see another visa waiver for more countries in Asia and the West in the first half of 2019,” he said.

The official said decentralisation of tourism permits to state and regional governments would drive more investments in the industry. 

He also highlighted the importance of traditional festivals and Inle Lake in attracting tourists.

“We aim to tap some traditional festivals to attract foreign visitors, particularly in the low season,” he said. “Another important move is the conservation of the Inle Lake eco-system. We take the lake’s sustainability seriously, and participate in conservation work in cooperation with environmental experts and international organisations.”

Source The Nation 

Micro-adventures in #Myanmar (Burma)

The wish to travel seems to me characteristically human: the desire to move, to satisfy your curiosity or ease your fears, to change the circumstances of your life, to be a stranger, to make a friend, to experience an exotic landscape, to risk the unknown.’

 This country is broad and the whisper of adventure smiles coyly around most corners. Weather and politics gets in the way of traveling to many parts of the country but much of it, with a little pluck and planning, remains ripe for exploration …

 

Nagaland

Even in the times of British-rule it was difficult to secure a travel permit into Nagaland, so it was naturally greeted with excitement by travelers in Myanmar when the need for such permits disappeared altogether. 

Caught between advancing British imperialism and ambitious Burmese kings, the Naga fostered a ferocious reputation as they fought to keep their autonomy. By brute force they were eventually subsumed into the British Empire. Years later, to great effect they acted as guides and scouts to the Allied Forces during the Second World War, coming to be seen by some as not savage headhunters but “extremely lovable.”

 Today’s Naga Self-Administered Zone in Myanmar is a strip of land along the Indian border, with the administrative capital in Lahe, with some adventurous tourists in Myanmar making it to Lay Shi. The bold may wish to rent motorbikes; all should travel with a guide. 

.

.

Mawlaik

Recently Sampan Travel journeyed down the Chindwin River to Mawlaik. Today, it is not a town that crops up much in the newspapers nor holiday brochures however in times past it was an administrative centre of great import. 

The town is peppered with colonial-era mansions, standing vacant and empty. It was also once the point at which many refugees from Yangon fled towards the Indian border as the Japanese Imperial Army invaded Burma. 

British teacher U Thant Zin, a local celebrity, can still remember – and is keen to recount to those interested – of the Japanese soldiers who later committed suicide in the town as the British were returning, and the local boys who played football with their heads in the street. 

A good spot for mindless wandering and settling down into tea shops. We don’t recommend the golf course. 

 .

.

 The Eng

Kyaing Tong sits in the midst of the Golden Triangle - where Myanmar meets the borders of Laos, Thailand, and China. Here it is possible to hike through fields that were not so long ago growing poppies, meeting some of the most diverse array of Myanmar ethnicities. 

One of the most interesting is the Eng.

In the Eng village you will encounter errant children with pierced ears, a trusty slingshot in one hand, and wearing – if anything at all – the traditional black costume of their tribe. Their parents will likely be off working in the fields, but you can sit a while with the grandparents, many of whom will have painted their teeth black.

For a while after you leave the village the crackle and snap of twigs in the underbrush either side of the trekking track behind you will signal that you are being granted a clandestine escort out of Eng territory. 

Mawlu & Henu

History wonks may travel up to Kachin State and across to Indawgyi where ‘Red Shan’ villagers on the banks of Myanmar’s largest lake may point to the place where fighter planes crashed during the Second World War. 

On the way to or from Indawgyi it is worth visiting the nearby villages of Mawlu and Henu where during the Second World War, “Mad Mike” Calvert, after being parachuted in behind enemy lines, set up the Chindits base “White City.” 

Near Mawlu you can also see the field used as a landing strip and a commemorative plaque on “Pagoda Hill”. There is also here a small Chindits museum. It was here that the Calvert’s Chindits made a surprise attack on a troop of Imperial Japanese soldiers and, in Mad Mike’s own words:

 “…at the top of the hill, about fifty yards square, an extraordinary melee took place, everyone shooting, bayoneting, kicking at everyone else, rather like an officer’s guest night.”

.

 .

Ye

A few hours drive south of Mawlamyine is the little town of Ye, which is as delectable and charming as its name suggests. Here is an adventure for the faint-hearted.

At Ye there is a lake which can take be circumnavigated at a meandering pace in about an hour, stopping to sit at one of the wonky “lovers’ benches” or take a cup of sweet Myanmar tea under the willows. 

A walkway leads out into the centre of the lake. From here you can drop titbits into the water and watch as a writhing mass of pake fish emerge, their mouths moronic and gaping and cavernous. 

For others, it may be adventure enough to slip into one of the off-piste beer stations, or sit and watch the world go by under the chinthe that guard the entrance to the central pagoda, painted in a rich scarlet. 

Source - MM Times 

#Myanmar, (Burma) registers more tourist arrivals

.

Tourists coming to Myanmar during the first months of this year have increased by 22 percent over the same period of last year, according to the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism.

.

 “We got more than 600,000 international visitors at the end of February, the number of which was greater than the same period in 2016,” U Myint Htwe, director from the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism told The Myanmar Times.

However, the overall tourist arrivals last year were only 2.9 million, a decline of 38pc in comparison to the 4.68 million visitors in 2015, according to a new system of collecting data by the ministry, which did not include day trippers with border passes.

  FOR THE BEST GLOBAL HOTEL & FLIGHT BOOKINGS

“The previous system counted visitors coming through international border checkpoints. But this year’s figures were systematically categorized into tourists, business travelers, day trippers,” according to U Ohn Maung, Union Minister for Hotels and Tourism, who made this comment at the recently held ASEAN Tourism Forum in Singapore.  

“However, the overall tourism outlooks are very good, despite the 38pc decline due to a different way of counting foreign visitors,” Ma Hnin Hlwar Kyaw Win, sales manager from Myanmar Tourism Services Company told The Myanmar Times. She said that few visitors to Myanmar are coming from Russia and Japan but tourists from other countries have increased.

.

Source - mmtimes

.

Myanmar - Mrauk-U still struggling to woo tourists

.

Mrauk-U, a town surrounded by hills in northern Rakhine State, is known as the ‘Stone City’. It was given the name because its 14th-century pagodas are made of stone.

.

 .

Mrauk-U is home to 1552 ancient stone pagodas – historic structures that are still standing strong today, owing to the wisdom of the old Rakhine kings who ordered them to be built from stone that can withstand the weather on top of the hills.

.

“These pagodas are over 800 years old, but younger than those in Bagan in the Mandalay Region that were built in the 11th century,” local hotelier U Hla Myint from the Mrauk-U Princess Hotel said.

.

Although Mrauk-U’s pagodas are similar to Bagan’s pagodas in being located close to residential areas, giving the location huge tourism potential, Mrauk-U has not attained international stardom like Bagan.

.

Mrauk-U’s tourist arrival numbers are still much lower. While Bagan recorded 280,000 tourists in 2016, Mrauk-U only managed to hit 4000 the whole of last year.

.

Hoteliers said the reason for the poor numbers was the instability affecting Rakhine, even in areas far from Mrauk-U, since 2012.

.

Since the crisis that brought political instability, the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism imposed an order prohibiting hotels from accepting guests without official permission.

.

Foreign ministries abroad also notified their citizens of the danger in Rakhine and discouraged them from visiting the state.

.

Tourism in Mrauk-U has not been able to recover since then, even though the town is more developed, better connected, and even has an airport in the pipeline.

.

Rakhine Hoteliers Association member Daw Ohnmar Khin said travellers needed to be informed that Mrauk-U was safe.

.

.

 She said there should be more familiarisation trips organised with the collaboration of hotels and tour companies.
.
“For Mrauk-U’s tourism growth, we need political stability. But we also need to get the right information out to let people know that Mrauk-U is a safe place to visit.
.
“Not everyone knows about us so we need better promotion. We need to help travel agents bring visitors here,” she said.
.
Mrauk-U has several prominent heritage sites such as the palace, Shit-thaung (80,000 Buddha images) Pagoda, Htukkanthein Pagoda, Koe-thaung (90,000 Buddha images) Pagoda and Laungbanpyauk Pagoda.
.
In the Chin ethnic villages in Mrauk-U, visitors can meet women who have kept the tradition of having tattoos on their faces. For beautiful sceneries, tourists can visit the Laymro River that has water so clear the stones on the river bed can be seen.
.
In 1996, local authorities first applied to UNESCO to get Mrauk-U’s archaeological zone recognised as a world heritage site, but were unsuccessful.
.
The Department of Archaeology, National Museum and Library of Mrauk-U is now trying again, with a team of experts conducting surveying work such as 3D mapping of the ancient architectural and cultural site, to draft a new application.
.

.

There had been some conservation challenges when work was carried out to restore some of the ancient pagodas in Mrauk-U.
.
One example was the the loss of the Shit-thaung Pagoda’s heritage value when conservation was not properly done.
.
There were also concerns by nearby locals that they would be forced to move if the sites became UNESCO world heritage sites, Mrauk-U guide association chair U Kyaw Hla Maung said.
.
“The people are worried about possible relocation. The authorities should talk to them and hear their views and suggestions before proceeding.
.
“Do it like what State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi suggested for Bagan. Then they can also educate the people and help them understand why the UNESCO listing is a good thing,” he said.
.
U Hla Myint said tourism would bring prosperity to the locals, who could sell crafts and find jobs in tourism-related businesses.
.
 FOR THE BEST GLOBAL HOTEL & FLIGHT BOOKINGS
.
Source - The Myanmar Times
.

 

Mae Sot, Northern Thailand’s gateway to Myanmar.

Mae Sot, Northern Thailand’s gateway to Myanmar.

Mae Sot is a border town 5 km from the border with Myanmar and is located in Tak Province around 600 Km from Bangkok. The area around Mae Sot boasts some of the most pristine and rugged mountains and dense tropical jungles in Thailand with a huge variety of wildlife preserves, rivers, hot springs, waterfalls and national parks.

Places to visit include the famous natural hot springs at Mae Kasa just a short 15km drive from Mae Sot. A great place for walking around to take in the sights and picnic areas.

Phra Charoen Waterfall located about 25 km from Mae Sot is a beautiful waterfall featuring 97 steps with a trail leading you through lush tropical jungle.

Tarawak Waterfall, part of the Ti Lor Sor waterfalls is also is a great place with winding trails and various spots to rest and have a picnic.

Highland Farm Gibbon and wildlife sanctuary takes in and cares for rescued mistreated, abandoned and sick gibbons and is set in beautiful surroundings a lot of which was replanted by the owners. This is a wonderful place to meet with and learn about the gibbons and local wildlife preservation. The sanctuary also takes care of rescued bears, birds, monkeys and foxes.

Temples of Thai and Burmese style are varied and numerous around the area. Close to the border with Myanmar there is a Buddhist temple with the huge reclining Buddha. Continue down and a short drive away you will discover a pagoda and Buddha’s footprint.

Rim Moei Border market runs along the Thai side of the Thai Mayanmar border Moie River and is filled with all kinds of goods from Myanmar, Thailand and China. Products include rubies and many other precious gemstones from Myanmar and other contraband and is a main trading place for bulk traders there. A very interesting place to visit. For a small fee and passport in hand you can cross into Myanmar for the day over the Friendship Bridge which connects Thailand with the Myanmar border town of Myawaddy.

Mae Sot Market in the centre of town offers an amazing cultural mix of Thai/Burmese products including locally made handicrafts and textiles by the local hill tribes, frogs, turtles, eels
(usually live), chicken, beef, pork, vegetables and many small jade and gem shops.

As well as the rich natural beauty of the area there are many different traditional Thai customs of the local northern hill tribes living the quiet rural lifestyle, in particular the Karen and Hmong tribes. With these qualities Mae Sot and Tak Province offers truly amazing experiences for travellers who want to see and contact with nature, the local people and traditional Thai culture.

Mae Sot is largely unknown to the majority of visitors to Thailand but will continue to develop due to it being one of the only two land border crossings and is the main trade gateway into Myanmar which is gradually opening its doors to the world after decades of isolation. There are numerous domestic and international NGOs based in the area to help cope with the thousands of refugees displaced by the years of internal conflict.

For those who want to get involved with volunteer work there are several local projects and outreach programs that need all the help they can get whether it be actual volunteer work or donations for the many orphans and refugee children and families.
Several projects are being planned in the area to improve the general living conditions and education of the poorest local communities with a focus on saving and restoring local traditions and customs, wildlife conservation, environmental protection awareness, whilst at the same time offering visitors a truly rich and rewarding experience watch this space.

THAILAND-BESTHOTELS
PHUKET-BESTHOTELS