Tourist arrivals up in Mandalay

FROM the beginning of 2016, tourist arrivals have been on the rise in Mandalay, according to the Department of Hotels and Tourism Development of Mandalay Region.

Tourist arrivals have increased from October 2015 to March 2016.  Most tourists are American, French, German, Dutch, Japanese, Thailand and Chinese. The department expects 5 million tourists to come to Myanmar in 2016, and about 500,000 of them will travel to Mandalay and the Bagan Cultural Zone.

Mandalay International Airport is directly linked with Thailand, India and China. Over 120,000 tourists entered Mandalay in 2015 on direct flights from those countries.

Moreover, foreign travellers have been arriving at Mandalay by vehicles and motorbikes through the Mandalay-Muse Union highway and the Mandalay-Tamu highway.

Tourists coming to Mandalay visit to Myanansankyaw Golden Palace, Mandalay Hill, Maha Muni Pagoda, U Bein Bridge, the Golden Temple, Ahtumashi Monastery, the Thatahtarna Pagodas, gold embroidery businesses and gold foil businesses.—Thi Ko Ko