Myanmar Legalize Outbound Travel

The Union of Myanmar Travel Association says travel companies should be able to apply for government approved licenses to allow them to sell international tours by the end of the year.

Official government controlled media quoted union general secretary, U Naung Naung Han, as saying: “The licensing scheme will protect customers and help to identify who is responsible if problems arise on a trip.”

None of Myanmar’s travel and tour companies hold outbound licenses to conduct overseas travel, he said. “It is very important because if they are running without a license consumers have no guarantee.”

“Once the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism issues outbound licenses, travelers from Myanmar who have trouble with their agency during a trip can legally prosecute them, and also we, the UMTA, can officially resolve the problem.”

Licenses were not issued in the past because the government ruled that Myanmar nationals could not hold foreign currency. The government had indicated it will reverse its rule on foreign exchange, but companies will need to abide by regulations over insurance, fees and the license validity period, he cited. The regulations controlling registration of outbound travel firms could be completed by year-end. 

According to Ministry of Hotels and Tourism officials, Myanmar tourists are making more trips to neighboring countries and Asia, than ever before.

The number of Myanmar nationals travelling overseas has reached over 380,000 a year since 2000. Most of them travelled to Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Cambodia, South Korea, Indonesia and Japan.

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