Tourism
From The Report: Myanmar 2017
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When Myanmar recently began opening its doors to the outside world, tourists rushed at the chance to see a country that had not only been closed to them for decades, but that also boasted a rich culture and heritage. The next phase of growth will demand better marketing, improved data collection and facilities capable of offering visitors not only sights, but compelling experiences. Change has already begun, and improvements to ageing infrastructure continue, but with hotel rates dropping to historic lows, the coming years could provide the sector with a difficult but necessary reckoning.

This chapter contains an interview with U Nay Aung, Founder, Oway Group.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Sustaining momentum: The industry seeks to build on recent successes while learning from past mistakes
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When Myanmar recently began opening its doors to the outside world, tourists rushed at the chance to see a country that had not only been closed to them for decades, but that also boasted a rich culture and heritage. The country continues to attract a steady stream of overseas visitors to established sites from Yangon to Bagan and Inle Lake, and a growing economy provides Myanmar citizens with new means to travel in their own country. The next phase of growth will demand better marketing, improved…

Analysis

Labour pains: Training initiatives can tackle the sector’s human capital deficit
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While tourism has been identified as a crucial component of Myanmar’s future economic development, the government faces an enormous challenge in realising its ambitions. Not only must it modernise its creaky infrastructure and develop tourism products to attract and encourage travellers to return, it must also address a talent shortage that makes it difficult for tourism-related businesses to find and retain the staff they need. Moreover, it must do so while meeting its own commitments to developing…

Analysis

Accommodating the market: As the stock of high-end hotels increases, room rates are witnessing a decline
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The year 2016 has proved to be a sobering one for Myanmar’s hotels, especially in Yangon, which is home to more than a third of the country’s hotels. A building boom triggered by the optimism surrounding the country’s democratisation and the relaxation of rules relating to foreign hotel investment is now beginning to be felt, and the sudden jump in supply, particularly at the higher end, has contributed to a decline in room rates. Spending Habits According to estimates from the Yangon…

Analysis

A welcome boost: Recent efforts to simplify visa and licensing regulations should help encourage more visitors
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Under the military regime, even if a tourist decided to ignore the National League for Democracy’s call for a boycott and visit Myanmar, getting a visa required a number of trips to the nearest embassy and considerable patience. These days, it can all be done online in a matter of hours, as the country turns to technology to help reduce paperwork and increase efficiency. The e-visa initiative reflects the government’s commitment to boosting tourism, which is expected to be one of Myanmar’s…

Interview

Opportunity awaits: U Nay Aung, Founder, Oway Group, on how attracting more visitors will lead to improvements across the industry
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Interview:U Nay Aung What policies or measures can be adopted to foster development within the tourism sector? U NAY AUNG: Visa exemptions are the number one issue, and are something we personally approached the government about two years ago. If you look at Thailand, they have implemented visa exemptions for 53 countries and have different arrangements with many others. For Myanmar, the government could start by relaxing the requirements for visitors from countries with citizens that have…