Myanmar
outbound tourism rising year-on-year
Myanmar’s
outbound tourism has continued to thrive year over year, according to overseas tour agencies.
Some
Myanmar holidaymakers are going for self-planned trips, while some are opting
for guided overseas trips offered by tour agencies.
According
to tour operators, Myanmar people are mostly travelling to Bangkok, Hong Kong,
Singapore, Thailand, Bodh Gaya, India, Nepal, China, Viet Nam, Malaysia,
Jordan, South Korea, the US, and Europe.
“The most
popular destinations are Bangkok, Singapore, Bodh Gaya, India, and Nepal. Some
people are also vacationing in South Korea, China, and Hong Kong. Most people
are visiting countries which grant visa-exemptions to tourists carrying normal
passports. Some are opting for countries that have easy visa requirements.
Western countries, especially in Europe and the US, have become popular
destinations for Myanmar travelers,” said U Thet Lwin Toe, the chair of the Myanmar Tourism Entrepreneurs Association.
Myanmar
travelers prefer holidaying in visa-free countries, said overseas tour
operators.
“Visa-free
countries are popular among travelers. Some overseas tour agencies are organizing monthly trips
to Viet Nam,” said an agent
with ET (Eastward Travel) Tour.
Some agents are reportedly facing difficulties as
customers are even choosing against countries offering visa-exemptions.
“Visa
exemptions are offered by countries such as Japan, South Korea, Macau, and Hong
Kong. But, travelers still need to apply for visas in order to visit those destinations. Some travelers do not
want to bother applying for visas
and are choosing to go to visa-free countries only,” said an agent with
Beautiful Memories Travels and Tours.
We also
don’t have many options when it comes to choice of flights, she added.
“A
small number of airlines are operating from Myanmar. There are only two
or three flights to Europe. Similarly, there are two flights to Korea,” she
said.
According
to data from the Hotels and Tourism Department under the Ministry of Hotels and
Tourism, Myanmar had 2,712 tour companies
as on December, 2018, of which 553 held outbound tour licences. The department
does not have details of outbound travelers, but efforts are on to collaborate
with other departments to compile data.
“We cannot
provide data for outbound tourism. Frankly, companies do not provide actual
numbers of outbound travelers. The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, and
Population (MOLIP) might have the figures. We are planning to link with them,”
said U Tint Zaw Myint, the deputy director of the Hotels and Tourism
Department.
“The MOLIP does not have close links or contact with us. According to data provided by
members of the Myanmar Tourism
Entrepreneurs Association, there are around 500,000 outbound travelers
every year,” said U Thet Lwin Toe.
“The
number of travelers headed to Bodh Gaya annually does not reach 100,000. Data
from outbound tour agencies shows around 50,000-60,000 travelers go to Bodh
Gaya every year,” he added.
“Moreover,
the related departments are strict about issuing licences to outbound tour agencies as, in their view, those
businesses contribute to an outflow of revenue,” said U Thet Lwin Toe.
“It is
hard for outbound tour agents to obtain a licence.
It seems, the department is not very supportive of outbound tourism.
The government no longer contributes to Myanmar Tourism Entrepreneurs
Associations. Outbound tourism can help travelers gain knowledge and find
new opportunities,” he said.
“At present,
outbound tourism is booming in Myanmar. Tourist arrivals are also growing year over year. Tourist arrivals
stood at 3.44 million in 2017 and 3.55 million in 2018. The arrival rate
increased by 3.15 per cent in 2018 compared with 2017,” said Vice President Henry Van Thio, who is also
the chair of the National Tourism Development Central Committee, at a meeting held in Hotel Max, Nay Pyi
Taw, on 26 February.
“Myanmar
has adopted a Look East policy, granting visa exemptions to tourists from
Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Macau, to attract more Asian travelers and
boost the tourism industry. Travelers from China and India, holding normal
passports, can also get visa-on-arrival at Yangon, Mandalay, and Nay Pyi Taw
international airports,” he said. _ Nyein Nyein (Translated by Ei Myat Mon)
