More infrastructures needed as tourist surge in Myanmar

Photo: @AFP

More infrastructures are needed as foreigners who chose Myanmar as their tourist destination encountered difficulties during the past months because of increasing hotel rates and fully booked flights.

With the high influx of travelers and various investors in this country, the government of Myanmar is taking viable steps to counter the flow of visitors by developing a second international airport in Yangon and to assess the rates of hotel rooms, Wall Street Journal reported.

The Ministry of Hotels and Tourism directed all hotels which are owned by foreigners last week that they must go by the rules and regulations in setting the standard rates of hotel rooms in the country which should not go beyond $US150.

According to U Tint Hsan, Minister for Hotels and Tourism, he gathered representatives from the hotel sectors and revealed that the higher rates imposed on hotel rooms may greatly affect the hotel business trade and has a great impact on the country more so that reforms are on its way to different levels.

The only possible way is to add and establish more infrastructure projects so as to accommodate more tourists and rates will be reduced. However with this development, it will take some time for this to be accomplished since the government of Myanmar has yet to set new rules on foreign investments, according to news reported from Wall Street Journal.

Building Hanthawady International Airport is another answer to the growing concern on airline flights. Moreover, private investors and airlines which have established routes in Southeast Asia have expressed eagerness to serve flights in Myanmar.

Korean Air and Japan’s All Nippon Airways plan to carry direct flights between Tokyo and Seoul and Yangon. By October, the Qatar Airways is planning to resume direct flights to Yangon. Two more airlines disclosed that they are pushing for flight connections in the country such as the Tiger Airways and Thai AirAsia.

The ministry is on guard to compose the booming influx of tourists giving them confidence and assurance so as to maintain their interests in this tourist destination. However, there is no clear indication if the Strand and other luxurious hotels would respond to the directive of the Ministry of Tourism about the costs of room rates, the report said.