Plans on the agenda to establish hotel zone in Yangon

Reported by Phyu Nu Translated and Edited by Win Htut + MYA

Plans are being made for the establishment of a hotel zone in Yangon, it was learnt. The world tourist arrival to Myanmar increased by 27 percent in 2010. The number of world tourist arrivals to Yangon International Airport was 300,000. The increased tourist arrivals caused insufficient accommodation at the hotels in Yangon and Bagan. Preparations are needed to address this situation of insufficient rooms at the hotels due to the possibility of increasing tourist arrivals. Therefore, the hotel industry has become important in this circumstance, it was learnt. “It is required to make huge investment in the hotel related businesses. Arrangements are being made to launch market promotion program in the country,” said Dr. Khin Shwe, Chairman of Myanmar Travel Association. “When permissions to construct hotels are granted, the hoteliers just look residential area in Yangon. Therefore, plans are underway to separately establish a hotel zone in Yangon. Botahtaung area is the best location for the establishment of the exclusive hotel zone. It is necessary to take into consideration of traffic congestion,” added Dr. Khin Shwe. The figures showed that there are more than 600 hotels and motels with 19,900 rooms in Myanmar in 2009. Most of the hotels and accommodations are located in Yangon, followed by Mandalay and Bagan. It is not enough to accommodate 300,000 tourists in Yangon. There are almost 1 million tourist arrivals including the border areas in Myanmar. For that reason, it is required to create basic infrastructure for the convenience of the increased tourist arrivals,” said U Thet Lwin Toe,Vice-Chairman of Myanmar Travel Association. Sign of progress is being witnessed in the travel industry of Myanmar becoming a country in which the world tourists take great interest at the present.