Twin Taung Lake of Myanmar and the UNESCO’s world heritage.

Myanmar is planning to nominate Twin Taung Lake, where very rare Spirulina is found, for inclusion in the UNESCO’s world heritage list.

Renewable Energy Association Myanmar general secretary, Aung Myint, told local media that the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry will nominate Twin Taung Lake for inclusion in the UNESCO’s world heritage list, while the association will provide the required technical aid for the process.

He said: “Twin Taung Lake is a rare and has an amazing ecosystem. It has an astonishing energy resource. We need the worldwide recognition to preserve it.”

Spirulina, a blue-green freshwater algae that is rich in protein and can help boost the immune system and regulate cholesterol. It is found in the lake without mixing seaweed and other impurities. Blue-green spirulina is only found in Myanmar, Mexico and a few African countries.

The lake is in an extinct volcano and spirulina was found there in 1984. In 1987, a health supplement was manufactured using spirulina from the lake.

Twin Taung Lake is about 9 km from Budalin in northwest Sagaing.

Myanmar has made achievements in cultural heritage preservation efforts with its three Pyu ancient cities; Hanlin, Beikthano and Sri Kestra recently being inscribed by the UNESCO into its World Heritage List for the first time in June.

Meanwhile, the cultural relics and religious buildings, located in

Natma Taung National Park, proposed by Myanmar for inclusion in UNESCO’s World Heritage List, have also been put on a tentative list for consideration of the UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee.

The other five sites on the tentative list are the North Mountain Forest Complex containing snow-capped Mt. Hkakaborazi, Myeik Archipelago of 800 islands in the Andaman Sea, Hukaung Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, Tanintharyi Forest Corridor and Ayeyawaddy River Corridor.

Myanmar is also trying to nominate another ancient city of Inwa to be included in UNESCO’s world heritage list and work on preserving the Inwa Cultural Heritage Zone near northern Mandalay is being undertaken now.

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A steam train between Bagan and Kyaukpadaung is going to start.

A vintage steam train will ply tourists between Bagan and Kyaukpadaung in Mandalay starting next week.

The train will cash in on Mandalay’s popularity as the gateway town to visit the historic sites of Bagan and particularly rail fans, who enjoy stream train travel.

Very little advance notice has been given to overseas tour operators so it is unlikely that the train’s sales team will be able to muster group business in the short-term.

Tour operators are likely to adopt a cautious approach to see if the train is here for the long-term, or just another experiment that lacks a  marketing plan, or sales expertise to secure advance bookings through the international travel trade.

Price is a another consideration. The train will begin a single weekly service, every Tuesdays, effective 16 December and the 110-km return journey will cost a staggering USD250 per person.

The train will carry up to 120 passengers at a time and is pitched at high-end foreign tourists, looking for a different mode of travel to Bagan that harks back to Myanmar’s colonial history.

Bright View Steam Locomotive Tours director, Zaw Weik, was quoted by the Irrawaddy media as saying: “I am not only seeking business success, but also the improvement of the tourism industry.”

Included in the price is a short stop in a local village, meals and transportation by car to and from Mount Popa once passengers alight at Kyaukpadaung.

A typical return journey from Bagan to Mount Popa by private taxi costs USD34.

Bagan Tourist Guide Organisation president, Zaw Win Cho, told the Irrawaddy that the locomotive would be a popular draw card despite the ticket price.

“I think the cost is high, but wealthy  tourists will pay. There is a one hour hot air balloon ride here that costs USD360, but tourists still fork out the cash.”

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Myanmar is going to hire Japanese firms to manage Mandalay International Airport!

Myanmar Airways International believes hiring Japanese firms to manage Mandalay International Airport will increase the airport’s competitiveness and allow it to grow in tandem with Yangon, the main aviation gateway.

The airline reflects the general viewpoint of most airlines serving the country. They want to see Mandalay turned into a major hub for passenger and cargo traffic serving  major points throughout Asia.

MAI general manager, Daw Aye Mra Tha, was quoted by Myanmar Times as saying that the airline would like to add cargo aircraft flights once the airport is upgraded.

“This part of our future plans, but it depends on the upgrades. Currently we only have cargo services to and from Guangzhou in southern China from Mandalay.”

Business people said the northern airport has lots of potential, if upgrades continue as planned.

Mandalay International Airport will receive an upgrade after two Japanese firms and a Myanmar-focused company signed a 30-year concession agreement to operate and rehabilitate the airport.

The airport has been grossly neglected and its management failed to capitalise on Mandalay’s status as the second largest city in the county a major hub for commerce.

Japan’s Jalux and Mitsubishi Corporation and a subsidiary of Yoma Strategic Holdings Ltd inked a deal, 17 November, to take over management of the airport effective March 2015.

Jalux and Mitsubishi each own 45.5% of the venture, while Yoma owns the remaining 9%.

The airport’s upgrade will cost USD100 million. Once completed it could capitalise on Mandalay’s status as a transport hub feeding exports to countries in Asia and Europe, according to Department of Civil Aviation general director U Win Swe Thu.

Mandalay stands at an important crossroads for both roads and rivers. Home to a port for river cargo vessels, produce from a vast area of the central region arrives at the city for distribution.

The airport deal is the first for the country and brings to the table private equity and foreign expertise to manage a major airport, the report said.

Mandalay International Airport opened in 2000. The terminal has the capacity to handle 1,000 passenger arrivals and 1,000 departures per hour, up to 3 million per year. Following expansion the airport could be raised to 15 million passengers a year.

Currently Bangkok Airways, SilkAir, Golden Myanmar, AirAsia, China Eastern Airlines and Myanmar Airways International all operate regional flights connecting Mandalay to Bangkok, Singapore, Kunming in China and Gaya in India.

Source: t

tweekly

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UNESCO is considering the nomination of Bagan into the global heritage list!

Myanmar’s Ministry of Culture says the ancient city of Bagan could be nominated for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List within three years.

Local media reported that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), is considering the nomination of Bagan to its global heritage list.

In June, the Pyu cities of Sri Ksetra, Hanlin and Beikthano became the first sites in Myanmar to be included on the heritage list.

Last month, officials from the ministry and UNESCO met international experts in Bagan to discuss how the city could be protected from ill-considered development caused by a sharp rise in tourist arrivals.

UNESCO has threatened to discontinue recognition at some important sites in Southeast Asia, including Luang Prabang in Laos, if checks and balances are not introduced to manage tourism flows.

During the Bagan meetings it was decided that an improved inventory of all the historical pagodas and temples at the site, as well as stricter enforcement of heritage laws, would be required before the site could be nominated, according to the culture ministry.

The Myanmar Times quoted Department of Archaeology, National Museum and Library, deputy general director, U Thein Lwin, as saying experts from Japan and Italy were helping officials come up with a plan to maintain the site in line with international standards.

It could take up to three years for Bagan to achieve full recognition by UNESCO.

A 1998 law bans development inside cultural heritage sites, but some hotels  opened in prohibited areas before the law was enacted, while others were allowed later in direct contravention of the law.

Another task is cataloguing the large number of historical monuments in Bagan. In 1975, the number of identified structures stood at 2230, but rose to 3122 by 1997 and now stands at 3312.

One of the most important archaeological sites in Asia, Bagan is expected to attract large numbers of tourists in coming years, with arrivals forecast to increase to 5 million in 2015. UNESCO listing is likely to give visitors numbers a further boost.

The Bagan region attracted 200,000 tourists last year compared to 150,000 visits in 2013.

Source: Ttrweekly

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Ecotourism policy is developed in Myanmar!

Myanmar will cooperate with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, an environmental think-tank based in Nepal, to develop an ecotourism policy and a management strategy for protected areas in the country.

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism in Nay Pyi Taw last month.

According to the centre’s media release, it will help to promote the natural and cultural assets of Myanmar’s protected areas, from Lampi Marine National Park in the south to the Hkakaborazi National Park in the north.

Director of Human Resource Development Department, Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, U Than Win, and ICIMOD’s Director of Strategic Cooperation, Basanta Shrestha, at the signing of an agreement on the development of an ecotourism policy and management strategy for protected areas in Nya Pi Taw, Myanmar.

It will also provide local people with alternative livelihood options, outside of the traditional use of natural resources.

The Ministry of Hotels and Tourism (MOHT), in collaboration with the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry (MOECAF) and the Myanmar Tourism Federation (MTF), is leading the process of collecting inputs from a variety of stakeholders on their views and experiences with ecotourism.

Tourism minister, U Htay Aung, said the Ecotourism Policy and Management Strategy’s key role is promoting quality tourism that also engages the communities living in and around Myanmar’s protected areas.

Individual protected areas are part of national protected area networks formed to conserve representative examples of nature-based assets and ecosystems.

ICIMOD’s Strategic Cooperation director, Basanta Shrestha, added the MoU has been designed to help facilitate an enabling environment that would allow ecotourism to prosper.

Myanmar is one of ICIMOD’s eight regional member countries. It has been a member since the Centre’s founding, with MOECAF as its focal ministry.

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3 must-do things when you visit Myanmar!

1. Trekking at Inle Lake
Asia Tours organize trekking trips in this naturally beautiful area to visit the tribal villages and witness their ancient way of life. Inle Lake is home to the Intha people who are famous for their unique technique of leg rowing. Eat breakfast at an ancient monastery, explore limestone caves and then by night, eat dinner with the families in the local village and learn how to dry the cheroot leaves that are the main ingredient for the authentic Burmese cigar. There’s no experience quite like it in South East Asia.

2. Colonial Burma & Historic Shan State
For almost 100 years the British ruled Burma and there are reminders everywhere of colonial occupation. Pyin Oo Lwin is a colonial hill-station surrounded by green-carpeted landscapes. It’s also a place where you can spend an atmospheric night – smoking a cigar and reading a George Orwell novel – if you so wish… From here you can take a local and spectacular train ride to the remote village of Hsipaw across the 2nd highest tallest viaduct in the world, built by the Americans in 1899 – incredible scenery guaranteed along the route. In Hsipaw, (which is part of Shan state) explore the local ethic market, which can be an overwhelming and amazing experience for visitors, as well as taking a beautiful boat ride on the Dhu Hta Waddy River, passing fruit plantations, monasteries – and even enjoy a spot of swimming. The trip ends in Mandalay – and on the journey home you’ll get the bonus of seeing the impressive Baw Gyo Pagoda, which is one of the most revered pagodas in Shan state. This is an amazing introduction to colonial and historical Myanmar!

3. Hiking & Remote Villages of Mount Yazagyi
One for the athletic backpacker as you’ll be hiking five hours of undulating landscape each day – on this trip you will explore the eastern mountainous regions of this fascinating country. Hiking here is also a great opportunity to get to know the indigenous people living in the areas, such as the Danu and Palaung hill tribes and the Pao (dragon people), existing in the same way as they have done for thousands of years. Lakes, caves filled with Buddha images, mountains – the area is a haven for explorers and you will feel like you are discovering it for the first time as no other tourists spoil your view (this is in 2013!) On this trip you will get the chance to spend the night at a Buddhist monastery, and be the welcomed guests of the monks who live there. An added option (for the very sporty types as it’s a six-hour round trip, before walking an extra four hours to the next village in the evening) is to summit Mount Yasakyi (1900m) – breathtaking views reward all those daring enough!

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Bagan’s temples fee will increase in 2015.

The tourist entrance fee for Bagan’s temples will increase from USD15 to USD20 starting 1 January next year.

The Irrawaddy news channel quoted an unnamed source from Ministry of Culture’s Department of Archaeology, National Museum and Library as saying that the increase will generate more income for Bagan to help protect historical sites, now it is preparing for World Heritage list status.
“The entrance fee increase will have no impact on tourists visiting Bagan, which is one of the country’s most popular tourist attractions. They will still visit as the experience is worth considerably more than the USD20 entrance fee.”
He added: “The entrance fee at Ankor Wat in Cambodia is also USD20 and in Bagan we have many places to visit.”
The Ministry of Culture collects the tourist entrance fee, which was USD10 until June 2013, when it increased to USD15.
“The entrance fee goes directly to the country’s budget and we have to request for funds to conserve the sites in Bagan. It’s not part of the Ministry budget. We need all of the funds to ensure the sites are preserved properly for the future.”

He added that in 2012, 150,000 tourists visited Bagan increasing to 200,000 people last year.
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The first Hilton hotel in Myanmar

Hilton has expanded its global portfolio of hotels to the beautiful country of Myanmar with the opening of Hilton Nay Pyi Taw, in the country’s capital city.

Set amid lush tropical landscaped gardens, the 202-key Hilton Nay Pyi Taw spans more than 100 acres of land and is situated within the developing Dekhina Thiri Township.

Owned by Eden Group Company Limited and managed by Hilton Worldwide, Hilton Nay Pyi Taw is in a prime location within easy reach of the main government administrative offices, and is 24 kilometers (a 30-minute drive) from the Nay Pyi Taw International Airport. The hotel is also located near Ruby Hall, the meetings and conventions venue at which the upcoming Ninth East Asia Summit will be held in November 2014.

“The opening of Hilton Nay Pyi Taw is a very significant milestone for Hilton Worldwide; it marks the entry of the company into the dynamic and emerging market of Myanmar,” said Martin Rinck, president, Asia Pacific, Hilton Worldwide. “Being one of the first international hospitality companies to enter many different countries in Asia Pacific – including Japan 51 years ago, China 26 years ago and Myanmar today – we continue to explore new frontiers, being where the world’s business and leisure travelers want to be.”

All 202 rooms and suites featutre Wi-Fi and flat-screen televisions offering satellite TV channels. The hotel offers a wide selection of rooms and suites including one-bedroom suites, two-bedroom suites and two Presidential Suites. Guests staying in the suites will enjoy exclusive access to the Executive Lounge which offers complimentary continental breakfast, all-day light refreshments as well as evening cocktails.

To cater to the MICE market, Hilton Nay Pyi Taw offers five function spaces including a standing reception area that can accommodate up to 410 people in the 458 square-meter ballroom. A business center is also available for guests to stay connected and productive throughout their stay.

Hilton Nay Pyi Taw offers three restaurant and bar options, as well as in-room dining round the clock.

For recreation, the hotel has a spa, outdoor swimming pool, fitness centre and a tennis court. 

Guests staying at the first Hilton hotel in Myanmar, from 24 November 2014 to 31 March 2015, can earn 1,000 Bonus HHonors Points per night, up to a maximum of 5,000 bonus points per stay.

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Myanmar develop tourism around Inle Lake.

Myanmar’s Ministry of Hotels and Tourism says a plan to develop tourism around Inle Lake is being discussed in order to boost tourism to the region.
The tourism minister, Htay Aung, told local media that the ministry has already mapped out destination management plans for the tourism sector in Inle Region and will reveal them shortly.
“We will hold discussions with international organisations next month. The plan will kick off  once agreements are inked.”

The ministry has joined hands with the Institute for International Development and International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development and tour destinations in and around Inle Lake.
The plan is part of the master plan for the tourism sector that focuses on Inle, Kayah State.
The tourism master plan includes 12 regions – Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay, Kyaikhteeyoe, Ngapali, Ngwesaung, Putao, Myeik, Naga, Natmauk Mountain, Loikaw and Inle.
Some business owners from the tourism industry say Inle Lake needs to be protected rather than exploited for tourism.
The minister said: “Inle Lake is our natural heritage. The President said we should not build hotels and inns recklessly in Bagan as travellers go there to study the cultural footprints of the zone, not to rest in luxurious accommodation. No one will be willing to visit Myanmar if our cultural, natural heritages is destroyed. We should make a collective push to maintain our landmarks.”
Inle Lake is a freshwater lake located in the Nyaungshwe Townshipof Taunggyi District of Shan State, part of Shan Hills in Myanmar.
It is the second largest lake in Myanmar with an estimated surface area of 44.9 square miles (116 sqkm), and one of the highest at an elevation of 2,900 feet (880 metres).
The best time of the year to visit is during September and October.
The nearest airport is Heho Airport which is 35 km away. There are flights from both Yangon and Mandalay. Yangon is 660 km away by road, Mandalay 330 km.
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Myanmar add more countries to e-visa list

Myanmar’s Ministry of Hotels and Tourism has asked the tourism sector to identify nationalities that should be added to the list of 43 states that use the e-visa facility.

It is the first time that the government has sought private sector input on the visa rules and procedures.

The e-visa was launched, 1 September.

Introducing e-visas is a part of a wider plan to phase out visas-on-arrival by March 2015, which is cumbersome and requires pre-arrival paperwork. Officials believe that an efficient e-visa system would make the visa-on-arrival redundant.

Eleven Myanmar news quoted unnamed tourism executives, who stated that had been advised the list should be extended to all countries that have strong and cordial diplomatic relations.

Sources said the old system of pre-arranged visas with pick-up at the Yangon’s international airport will be phased out once all the e-visa teething problems have been solved.

“If the visa-on-arrival system was  withdrawn before the e-visa system works well, it would become inconvenient for visitors,” a tourism company executive told the news channel.

More promotion and information on how the e-visa works needs to be posted to ensure travellers are aware of the new service.

No details were given on the proposed extension of the e-visa country list. It will probably be updated with more countries, most likely those that do not have a Myanmar embassy to make it convenient for citizens and end the need to travel to a third country to file their application at the nearest embassy.

Many Myanmar-bound travellers visit Bangkok first to get a visa, although they usually combine the two countries in their holiday itinerary and their travel agency processes the visa while they are touring in Thailand.

The e-visa costs USD50 and is valid for 28 days for visitors arriving via Yangon International Airport. For other airport checkpoints and all overland border checkpoints, travellers must first apply for a visa at the nearest embassy or consulate.

Tourists must file their application on the Ministry of Immigration and Population’s website. It takes one week for the ministry to check the visa application. Once it has been approved, the ministry sends an official confirmation by email that the traveller can proceed with their travel arrangement to the country.

Once the traveller arrives in Yangon they must present a printout of the approval along with their passports at Yangon International Airport. They will also have to show the approval letter to airlines when boarding flights to Yangon.

The most important development for the e-visa would be extending its use to other airport arrival checkpoints used by international travellers, such as Nay Pyi Daw, Mandalay and Bagan, rather than limiting to Yangon.

It should also be applicable for travellers who visit North Thailand and want to enter Myanmar through the Mae Sai border checkpoint and then connect with flights at Tachilek airport which is just a few km inside Myanmar. It would help to establish the far north airport as an international gateway for travellers who want to combine North Thailand tours with trips to Mandalay or Bagan in Myanmar. That would save the need to back track to Bangkok to connect with flights to Yangon a costly diversion for visitors who are in North Thailand.

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New World Heritage comes to Myanmar

Myanmar welcomed the designation of its ancient Pyu kingdom cities as a UNESCO world heritage site, marking its first entry onto the UN cultural agency’s prized list.

An annual World Heritage Committee meeting in Doha on Sunday granted endangered status to the remains of the cities of Hanlin, Beikthano and Sri Ksetra in the country’s Irrawaddy basin.

“We are happy. We all worked hard to make this happen for a long time,” Daw Me Me Khaing, director of the archaeology department at Myanmar’s culture ministry, told AFP.

Inclusion on the list has significant economic implications as a World Heritage Site is eligible for financial assistance toward preservation, while the status is a powerful draw for tourists.

Remains of the palace citadels, brick Buddhist stupas and burial grounds at the site currently draw around 60,000 local and foreign visitors every year, according to Daw Me Me Khaing, who hopes the new status will bring many more.

“We will have a better situation for our heritage sites as we gain experience from this,” she said.

Officials are now campaigning for Myanmar’s better-known ancient city of Bagan, home to a sprawling complex of Buddhist temples, to join the Pyu cities on the UNESCO list, she added.

The temples, some of which are around 1,000 years old, are one of the country’s most treasured religious sites and a top attraction for foreign tourists flocking to Myanmar as it emerges from decades of military rule.

But experts have previously warned that haphazard renovation work on some of the temples has irreversibly damaged the landscape, which could threaten Bagan’s chances of winning World Heritage status.

The brick, walled and moated cities at Pyu reflect the Pyu kingdoms that flourished for over 1,000 years between 200 B.C. and 900 A.D., according to UNESCO.

“These ancient cities built along the Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) Valley belong to the Pyu, a people speaking a language closely related to Myanmar and now extinct,” UNESCO said in a statement.

The Paris-based Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) oversees the system of granting coveted World Heritage Site status to important cultural and natural sites.

Obtaining the status for sites is a point of pride for many nations and can boost tourism, but it comes with strict conservation rules.

Other sites given the status this year include a French cave that is home to the world’s earliest known figurative drawings, and ancient terraces in the West Bank that are under threat from the Israeli separation barrier.

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Easy Visa Between Myanmar and Cambodia

The visa exemption agreement was signed by Myanmar Deputy Foreign Minister U Tin Oo Lwin and Cambodian Ambassador to Myanmar Sieng Burvuthin.

Myanmar and Cambodia have agreed on mutual visa exemption for ordinary passport holders to simplify the procedures of citizens’ travelling and strengthening existing friendly ties.

The agreement was signed by Myanmar Deputy Foreign Minister U Tin Oo Lwin and Cambodian Ambassador to Myanmar Sieng Burvuthin.

Earlier, Myanmar Airways International (MAI) opened an air route between Yangon city and the Cambodia ancient city of Siem Reap in February 2011. The service was extended to reach the Cambodian capital city of Phnom Penh in November that year, helping foster the two countries’ links in tourism, culture, trade and investment.

In another development, Myanmar’s House of Representatives Speaker Thura U Shwe Mann will lead a delegation to Cambodia from December 19-22 to beef up bilateral ties.

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Special Discounts From Nok Air

Nok Air sells discount fares on domestic routes and its regional routes to Myanmar, but the booking window closes 6 November.

The one-way  all inclusive fare is pegged at Bt1,099 departing Bangkok (Don Mueang Airport) to Phitsanulok, Nakhon Phanom, Udon Thani, Ubon Ratchathani, and Surat Thani.

The fare is also applicable on the Chiang Mai–Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai–Mae Sot routes.

A higher fare Bt1,199 sells to Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Mae Sot, Nan, Phrae, Sakon Nakhon, Buri Ram, Roi Et, Loei,Hat Yai, Phuket, Krabi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Trang, Chumphon, Hua Hin, Ranong, including Chiang Mai–Udon Thani.

Services to Krabi will begin 1 January 2014.

On regional routes, the fare sells at Bt1,590 from Bangkok to Yangon and Mae Sot to Mawlamyine and Yangon.

For Fly’n Ferry and Fly’n Ride routes promotion will be apply to air ticket content only.

Booking can be made until 6 November for travel 26 November to 25 October next year.

The fares save around 10% to 30% off standard fares. However, the airline has been offering frequent discounts on domestic fares that were pegged at Bt1,200 one way.

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First Prepaid Travel Card in Myanmar To Be Launched By MasterCard and CB Bank

MasterCard and CB Bank have launched their first payment product in the country – a prepaid travel card for locals called the CB Bank EASI Travel Prepaid MasterCard card.

The reloadable prepaid card will be made available to Myanmar residents for when they travel outside of the country. It is the first such card product to be launched in Myanmar and is yet another stage in the evolution of the electronic payments ecosystem.

MasterCard has been working very closely to enable CB Bank (which it licensed in September last year) to roll out its very first prepaid MasterCard card. CB Bank is already certified and has undergone full system testing as part of its efforts to be connected to the global payments network.

Mr. Kyaw Lynn, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of CB Bank said, “CB Bank continues to be first in the electronic payments sector in Myanmar and we are pleased to be able to collaborate with MasterCard to launch this travel prepaid card. Just as our country is opening up to the world, at the same time, the world is opening up to our countrymen and we’re seeing more and more locals travel abroad. We are so glad to introduce this travel prepaid MasterCard card to help make their travels safe and hassle-free without the worries of carrying large amounts of cash.”

 Matthew Driver, president, Southeast Asia, MasterCard, added, “Part of the allure of operating in such a frontier market is in seeing the vital steps of financial inclusion play out: a vast majority of people in Myanmar remain unbanked and don’t have access to financial services. But the payments infrastructure is rapidly developing – from the rollout of ATMs, point-of-sale terminals, and now the introduction of prepaid cards. This presents an alternative option for the growing number of locals who’ve had to carry wads of cash when they leave the country for business or leisure travel. It offers them a safe and secure payment method while abroad.”

Overall consumer optimism is at an extreme high in Myanmar (96.0 Index points according to the latest MasterCard Index  of Consumer Confidence). According to the MasterCard survey of Consumer Purchasing Priorities, nearly two-thirds of people who have traveled abroad intend to do so again within the next 12 months, making the introduction of a prepaid travel card timely for the market.

“Part of our financial inclusion strategy in Myanmar is to educate the local population about the value of electronic payments – we would like to help them understand the benefits of doing away with cash,” Driver added.

The launch of a new prepaid card marks another vital step forward in the country’s reform of its banking and financial system. MasterCard was one of the first international payments networks to issue a license to a Myanmar bank in September last year, paving the way international payment cards to be accepted in the country for the first time. In November, MasterCard and Co-operative Bank Ltd (CB Bank) teamed up to launch the first ATM transaction at one of the bank’s Yangon ATMs.

It is expected that more than 500 restaurants, retail outlets and hotels in Myanmar will be accepting payment cards by the end of the year, following the rollout of Point-of-Sale (POS) terminals in March this year with CB Bank.

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Myamar To Upgrade Muse Checkpoint

Myanmar will upgrade the existing Muse border checkpoint with China's Ruli Township to full international status.

Myanmar Minister of Immigration and Population, U Khin Yi, told Xinhua media, Wednesday, that the project should be completed within two to three months.

 “Foreign visitors holding valid passports and visa will be allowed to enter and exit Myanmar through the Muse gate, or exist through other points such as Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw international airports.”

Today, visitors crossing the border at Muse must enter and exit at the same point.

On 28 August, Myanmar opened fully four checkpoints on the Myanmar-Thai border, namely Tachileik- Mae Sai, Myawaddy-Mae Sot, Tiki-Sunarong and Kawthoung-Ranong. Travelers can continue their journey to other destinations and it gives them the choice to exit through another checkpoint than the one they used to enter the country.

Myanmar has 16 border checkpoints with neighboring countries, but most of them offer limited access.

In 2012, tourist arrivals reached 1.02 million, an increase of 200,000 compared with 2011’s 820,000 due to the significant changes in Myanmar during the year.

Myanmar targets 2 million in 2013 and up to 3 million in 2014.

Myanmar authorities have also granted pre-arranged visa-on-arrival for visitors from 48 countries. It requires pre-approval from authorities. Once the traveller has confirmation that the visa on arrival has been approved they take a flight to Yangon and have the visa stamped into their passport on arrival.

However, airlines are very reluctant to transport visitors who claim to have a visa on arrival approved. They argue that supporting evidence that a visa has been approved and will be issued on arrival is not clear cut.

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ADB and Norway fund Myanmar study

From Threeland Travel's Blog - October 2012

Asian Development Bank and Norway will assist Myanmar to cope with a mini-boom in tourism through a US$225,000 grant that will create a sustainable tourism master plan.

“Myanmar is undergoing a period of dramatic change, and skyrocketing tourist arrivals are already putting existing tourism infrastructure under enormous strain,” said, ADB head, Extended Mission in Myanmar, Putu Kamayana. “To ensure benefits are sustainable and extend to more people, the country needs a comprehensive plan that respects culture and the environment.”

International visitor arrivals were up by more than 25% in 2011, and could top 1 million this year, generating an estimated US$390 million in annual foreign exchange and supporting about 50,000 jobs.

The million mark was supposed to have been passed 10 years ago, but due sanctions that extended to tourism in response to decades of corrupt military rule, travel faltered falling well behind its neighbours.

“Greater contact with the rest of the world is having a positive effect on a country that had been closed for a long time,” said Norway’s Ambassador to Myanmar, Katja Nordgaard.

“Also, the tourism has great potential for providing jobs for many people more rapidly than in many other sectors, but as the same time, great damage can be done if development takes place in an uncoordinated manner.

“So when the Myanmar Government asked Norway to assist in the development of a master plan to develop tourism in a sustainable manner, we were happy to say yes and pleased to establish this first cooperation project with ADB to provide the technical assistance to Myanmar.”

Plans to enhance connectivity to major markets, improve the investment climate, expand air and hotel services, and introduce visas-on-arrival and electronic visas for tourists all point to an even faster rate of expansion in the future.

At the same time, existing tour operators and hotels are already overwhelmed. There are reports of room shortages and a lack of skilled workers. The rapid influx of visitors to pristine natural sites such as Inle Lake is straining the environment, raising fears of pollution and threats to wildlife.

The grant will pay for a sector assessment to examine Myanmar’s tourist assets and liabilities, visitor traffic, infrastructure and human resource needs, existing laws and policies, and the role of private sector organisations. It will also look into the cultural and environmental impacts of tourism, and recommend new policies and investments to ensure the industry’s expansion is sustainable, with the benefits equitably shared.

The project will be carried out over nine months, with completion in 2013. The grant, provided by the Government of Norway, will be administered by ADB.

Earlier this year Ministry of Hotels and Tourism in cooperation with Hanns Seidel Foundation, a non-profit foundation based in Germany, worked on drafting a responsible tourism policy with workshops held around the country to solicit advice on the policy from industry stakeholders.

The policy cover topics such as prevention of child sex tourism; prevention of trafficking of people and rare animals; education for communities and the tourism industry; development of a star rating system; and promotion of local foods, culture and heritage.

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Thai AirAsia ramps up Myanmar connections

Thai Air Asia

From Threeland Travel's Blog - September 2012

Thai AirAsia is planning to mount regular flights from Bangkok to Nay Pyi Taw and Bagan before the start of the 2013 South-east Asian Games in Myanmar.

Speaking at a promotional event ahead of the launch of four-weekly Bangkok-Mandalay services (TTG Asia e-Daily, August 15, 2012) and the addition of a third Bangkok-Yangon daily flight on October 4, Thai AirAsia CEO, Tassapon Bijleveld, emphasised that facilities at nearly all of the country’s airports would have to be upgraded before international airlines could launch more routes.

“We have a plan to (fly to) Nay Pyi Taw, but the facilities have to be upgraded… I am sure the government is doing it and by next year we should be able to fly to Nay Pyi Taw,” he said.

“For flights to Bagan, we will look at maybe middle or the end of next year. I think we need to upgrade the (airport) facilities, such as ground handling services.” Tassapon added that the Bangkok-Mandalay flights operated by Thai AirAsia would likely increase to a daily frequency within six months.

“A lot of people would like to come and see Mandalay, especially tourists from Europe. We have a lot of (European) tourists coming to Thailand and many of them want to visit Myanmar,” he said.

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Easy Visa To Myanmar

Burma

From Threeland Travel's Blog - August 2012

Visa has taken its first steps towards entry into Myanmar (previously known as Burma) with a series of training workshops to prepare selected local banks for the introduction of electronic payments as the country continues its economic and social reforms.

The workshops are aimed at upgrading the banking facilities to accept and issue international payment cards and establishing a pillar for economic growth.

As Visa steps up its engagement, the first priority for Myanmar will be preparing for the influx of international visitors resulting from the relaxation of international sanctions. With Yangon’s hotels and major tourist attractions now regularly full and the country’s airports seeing increased passenger numbers, connection to the global economy is a key element in opening up the market.

The news also comes at a good time for Myanmar as the country gets set to host the anticipated rush of visitors expecting to use their payment cards at next year’s Southeast Asian Games and the regional World Economic Forum.

“We know from experience that there will be an urgent requirement to provide basic ATM network and point-of-sale terminals for international visitors arriving in Myanmar for business and pleasure—and that is where we will focus first,” said Peter Maher, Visa Group Country Manager, Southeast Asia and Australasia. “Inbound business people and tourists are already looking for the Visa acceptance mark at merchants for the convenience, security and reassurance it brings. The sooner we deliver electronic payments, the sooner Myanmar will benefit from the increased spending.”

Maher added: “This is an exciting time for the people of Myanmar and Visa is delighted to help bring the benefits, security and convenience of electronic payments to the country. As Myanmar builds its financial infrastructure, Visa will work hand-in-hand with the local market to provide its global knowledge and technology and bring safe secure and convenient payments to all.”

The Visa Card Partner Workshop in Yangon was attended by a number of the nation’s leading banks. During the two-day event, Visa introduced representatives to the international requirements for electronic payments and a roadmap for development and delivery. The first event in a series of interactive sessions addressed the critical needs, long-term objectives and immediate steps required to establish a payment infrastructure for Myanmar.

Speaking from Yangon, Somboon Krobteeranon, Visa Country Manager, Thailand and Myanmar said, “These workshops provide a clear path to introducing a reliable and internationally connected gateway to the global economy and we are already seeing potential partners enthusiastically supporting our proposals. From our initial observations, Myanmar should have little difficulty in meeting the international requirements and the country’s banks seem committed to providing electronic payments as soon as possible ... Electronic payments will provide important support for Myanmar’s business and tourism development as well as enable economic empowerment and inclusion for the millions of unbanked in the country.”

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Myanmar to build new airport

Yangon International Airport

From Threeland Travel's Blog - July 2012

Myanmar is looking for investors to develop a new airport near Bago that ultimately lead to the phase out of Yangon Airport as the main gateway.

AFP reported this month, arrivals at Yangon International Airport are expected to surge to around 3 million in 2012, a 22% increase on last year. That would put the airport over its 2.7 million threshold, according to the Department of Civil Aviation. “We need a new airport because of increasing traffic at the current airport… is quite difficult to handle,” said DCA assistant director, Nwe Ni Win Kyaw.

The planned Hanthawaddy airport will be on a site nine times bigger than the current facility and located about 80 km from downtown Yangon, the country’s main commercial centre. The site was identified by the fminitary junta three years ago as the replacement for Yangon’s airport, which has limited space to expand.

Work is expected to start in June 2013, with the airport operational by 2016. Veiled from the world for decades under a brutal military junta, the Southeast Asian nation has seen an influx of tourists and business travellers in recent months, attracted by a swathe of changes under a new reformist regime.

Arrivals in Yangon — including both domestic and international passengers — surged to 1.53 million in the first half of 2012, more than the number that passed through the airport in the whole of 2008.

The city’s current airport, which sees the vast majority of Myanmar’s overseas air traffic, is also slated for expansion, allowing it to cope with the 5.4 million visitors expected in 2015.

“But 5.4 million would be the highest limit we could deal with,” said Nwe Ni Win Kyaw. Myanmar has two other international airports, in Mandalay and in the capital Naypyidaw, but they are not fully operational.

The new airport plan is part of a larger scheme by the DCA to ultimately privatise all the country’s airports.

There are currently 14 international and six domestic airlines flying from Yangon airport and six new foreign carriers are in discussion with the DCA about operating in the country.

(Asia Travel News)

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