Official E-visa for Tourists by Myanmar from September

From September 1st, Myanmar will propose e-visa for tourists landing at Yangon International Airport. A welcome simplification as the rise in tourism could not be matched by consular agencies...

After a first short attempt in 2010 and the possibility to obtain a visa on arrival for people officially invited by the Government, Myanmar will offer from September 1st the possibility to get an online visa for tourists arriving exclusively at Yangon International Airport. The information was confirmed mid-August by Myanmar Ministry of Immigration and Population. Once the e-visa procedures for tourists start to run smoothly, authorities expect to extend the facility to business visas.

Tourists will need to file their application on the Ministry of Immigration and Population’s website. It will take approximately five open weekdays for the ministry to check out the visa application. Once it has been approved, the ministry will send an official confirmation that the traveler will have to proceed with their travel arrangement to the country.

Once at Yangon International Airport, the visitor will show the print letter of confirmation and have his visa issued. The cost of the e-visa is fixed at US$ 50. However, authorities will still have the right to refuse the entry despite the e-visa approval. The visa will have to be used within three months of approval and will be valid for 28 days. It will be available to all nationalities.

The simplification of visa procedure is likely to further boost total arrivals to the country. Myanmar expects to reach three million foreign arrivals this year and targets seven million of arrivals in 2020. Tourism revenues could reach this year over a billion dollars for the first time of the country's tourism history.

Read More

Domestic Terminal of Yangon International Airport to be upgrade

Myanmar has approved the plan to upgrade the domestic terminal at Yangon International Airport, to boost capacity from 2.7 million passengers to 6 million a year.

According to the Department for Civil Aviation, the government’s economic committee, chaired by President Thein Sein, recently approved the upgrade of Yangon International Airport. The economic committee has representatives from 15 ministries. Department for Civil Aviation general director, Tin Naing Tun, said the department has received the economic committee’s approval for the upgrade. 

According to the upgrade plan, the domestic terminal will be demolished and replaced by a new terminal in 18 months. Meanwhile, the airport’s VIP hall will be used as a domestic terminal during the construction period. The international terminal will remain unchanged. Pioneer Aerodrome Services, a subsidiary of Myanmar’s conglomerate Asia World, was selected for the upgrade. 

Yangon International Airport is the main international gateway, although Mandalay has seen a big increase in airline traffic. International arrivals increased from 1.6 million tourists in 2009 to 3.08 million tourists in 2012, according Yangon airport data. The international terminal opened in May 2007 and handles 1.4 million passengers, while the domestic terminal handled 1.3 million passengers last year. To help ease the congestion at this airport, Myanmar is also planning to build a new international airport in Hantharwady, which is expected to start operations in 2017. The Hantharwady International Airport will be located at Bago is 80 km from Yangon.

This will provide an easier access for tourists to travel within Myanmar and avoid the overloading situation in the high travel season.

Read More

Myanmar to upgrade domestic airports

Department of Civil Aviation says it will issue a tender in the last quarter of this year to invite local and foreign companies to invest in 39 underdeveloped domestic airports.

The Irrawaddy oneline newspaper first reported on the proposed tenders,  in November, last year, saying the DCA had called on companies to register their interest and proposals to rebuild and improve 30 of Myanmar’s 69 domestic airports.

The process, which was completed last January, was not a formal bidding process, but served to inform the government agency of the interest and plans of potential airport developers.

DCA general director Tin Naing Tun, was quoted as saying that many companies had registered their interest, but they were mostly local companies.

“Some companies are proposing that they can upgrade all domestic airports… but they should only indicate the specific airports that they will actually upgrade,” he said.

DCA confirmed, Wednesday, it will now issue a formal tender inviting companies to bid for contracts to develop the 39 airports some time “after the rainy season,” in October.

“We will hold more discussions and allow companies to make bids on the tender later this year,” he said.

Earlier, the DCA hoped to attract international corporations as partners to fast track improvements and give the country a top quality network of airports.

At that level, the response has not been promising. Very few international companies will make a commitment to take on an entire network when only a few airports are considered profitable.

According to the department, the government currently spends about US$12 million annually to maintain 69 domestic airports.

The government hopes the plan to outsource airports will help develop the country’s aviation industry and airport capacity. Air safety has become a particular concern after a number of accidents occurred at local airports in 2012 and 2013.

The country’s aviation industry is expected to grow rapidly in the coming years, as estimates suggest foreign tourist arrivals will rise dramatically from 4.2 million in 2013 to 30 million in 2030. (Tourism master plan forecasts).

Visit us at Threeland Travel Myanmar to get further information about traveling around the world and exploring Myanmar; to have access to the best travel services and to meet our professional consultants who're always available for help. For any inquiry please contact us.

A warm welcome from Threelanders.

Read More

Myanmar provide emergency healthcare services

Shwe Zanaka Company will provide emergency healthcare services for tourists visiting Kyaikto, Mon State effective 1 April and will expand the service ultimately to other popular tourist sites in Myanmar.

The company will cooperate with ambulance services, the Ministry of Health and local hospitals to offer medical services for foreign visitors.

The project is endorsed by the Ministry of Tourism.

The company representative, Dr Myint Lwin, told local media that the company has opened a clinic in Kyaikto to give emergency healthcare services.

Thousands of local and foreign tourists visit the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda in Kyaikto every year, but the town lacks sufficient hospitals and clinics to provide emergency healthcare.

“If an emergency arises while visiting the pagoda, we will treat them immediately at the location. If we can treat the patient at the clinic, we will do it, but if the person needs to be admitted to hospital, we will contact the public hospitals in Mawlamyine and Thaton. We can also transport the patient to the hospital.”

Tourists visiting Myanmar are advised to take out full medical insurance that includes an evacuation option if needed to neighouring countries such as Thailand. But if visitors fall sick without adequate insurance, Shwe Zanaka’s new service could be a life-saver.

To gain full support, Shwe Zanaka Company has contacted social organisations and ambulance services to provide an emergency service. It hopes to work closely with local travel companies in Myanmar to provide back-up emergency services for their clients.

It will also implement a tele-medicine system to offer media treatment consultations via the internet or the telephone for patients who need medical care while in remote locations such as mountains.

“We have installed C-band satellites in Yangon and Kyaikto in order for us to provide emergency healthcare advice. The services are not free but they will be moderately prices.”

Visit us at Threeland Travel Myanmar to get further information about traveling around the world and exploring Myanmar; to have access to the best travel services and to meet our professional consultants who're always available for help. For any inquiry please contact us.

A warm welcome from Threelanders.

Read More

Hotels Plan To Expand To Myanmar Market

With tourism on the rise in Myanmar, hotels are all rushing to expand their existing property or to open new ones.

300,000 visitors in 2010, one million tourists in 2012, two million last year and most probably three million in 2014. By adding a million foreign visitors, the country is in desperate need for more accommodation for visitors.

A huge number of visitors to Myanmar are attracted by its spiritual sites

The Myanmar Investment Commission granted  last year permission for about $US2 billion of investment into hotels and tourism-related projects. It is a matter of urgency as the country targets to welcome 7.5 million foreign arrivals by 2020. It has been a welcome step especially as it follows last year the complete lifting of economic sanctions imposed before by the USA and the European Union.

Myanmar has for now slightly over 9,000 hotel rooms in Yangon including 1,800 from hotel chains, according to Jones Lang LaSalle consulting firm.  Due to sanctions, JLL estimates that only 17% of available rooms in the former capital city are represented by international brand chains. According to a report from the consulting cabinet released last year, the total number of hotel rooms in Yangon is due to reach 8,100 international standard rooms by 2018. Last year, close to 1,000 rooms were underconstruction while in 2014, Yangon should see the addition of another 400 rooms.

Global hotel chains are now in urgent expansion mode. Accor Asia Pacific will open in July the Novotel Yangon MAX followed by a Pullman hotel in 2015. The 300-room property will be the first of Pullman property in Myanmar. Accor will also operate the 100-room Sebel Yangon Myat Min -a premium serviced apartment. Outside the former capital city, Accor is due to open this year the 121-room Novotel Inle Lake Myat Min, located on the banks of Inle Lake as weak as a MGallery in Nay Pyi Daw and the Novotel Mandalay Mingalar. Peninsula Hotels has secured a property to refurbish, the beautiful historical headquarters of Burmese Railways, built by the British in 1877.

Best Western opened its first property last autumn, the 189-room Green Hill Hotel. Best Western got now a contract for a property in Nay Pyi Daw. Hilton signed last year the management of a 300-room hotel property while Pan Pacific entered a joint venture to build a 25-storey 348-room property. Shangri La is one of the international companies with the biggest presence in Myanmar to-date. The group operates the Trader’s Hotel and just opened Shangri La Residences late last year. A large Shangri La property in Yangon is due to be added by 2016.

Visit us at Threeland Travel Myanmar to get further information about traveling around the world and exploring Myanmar; to have access to the best travel services and to meet our professional consultants who're always available for help. For any inquiry please contact us.

A warm welcome from Threelanders.

Read More

Approval for Yangon's hotels

Ministry of Tourism and Hotels says the government has granted approval for about 250 hotels with more than 20,000 additional rooms in the Yangon region.

Yangon Region Minister for Hotels and Tourism, U Soe Min, told local media that the approvals are on top of the current 190 licensed hotels that have more than 9,000 rooms.

“As tourist arrivals increase, more hotels are needed and some hotels are expanding…new projects have already opened and more are under construction.”

Myanmar Hoteliers Association secretary, U Pyae Phyo Tun, added that the surge in applications to open new hotels in Yangon was driven by the local business community.

“Many Myanmar business people are opening hotels with 50 to 60 rooms, which can be built relatively quickly. These hotels will be essential for Myanmar this year because it is hosting hundreds of ASEAN meetings.”

The hotels association chairperson, Zaw Htay Aung, said many popular destinations still lacked enough hotels to accommodate tourists during the high season between November and February.

“Inlay region, famous for its scenic lake and countryside, is one area that still struggles to accommodate growing numbers of visitors.”

He said: “Construction of new hotels is moving forward, but we are still short of rooms. It is not so acute as last year. There are more rooms now, although demand is much higher than the supply.”

The numbers of tourists has doubled annually since 2011 when Myanmar began a series of reforms that saw sanctions lifted after years of military misrule and isolation.

Following a boom in hotel construction, Inlay region currently has 73 hotels, including 2,031 rooms, according to the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism.

Since 2010, the tourism industry grown fast, but hotel rates have also sky rocketed from around US$30 to US$190 a night at the top-end of the market.

According to the latest data released by the Myanmar’s Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, there are 826 licensed hotels with 29,999 rooms across the country.

Visit us at Threeland Travel Myanmar to get further information about traveling around the world and exploring Myanmar; to have access to the best travel services and to meet our professional consultants who're always available for help. For any inquiry please contact us.

A warm welcome from Threelanders.

Read More

New Aircrafts purchase by Myanmar Airways

Myanmar’s national airline has signed a contract with US firm GE Capital to lease 10 Boeing aircraft worth nearly a billion dollars in a major makeover for the largely domestic airline.

US ambassador to Myanmar Derek Mitchell described the agreement as the “largest commercial sale” by a US company to Myanmar in decades.

Under the agreement, state-owned Myanmar Airways will lease 10 new Boeing 737 planes from GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS), the commercial leasing and financing arm of US giant General Electric.

Delivery of the planes is scheduled to begin in June 2015.

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the Singapore Airshow, Asia’s biggest aerospace and defense show.

“The contract calls for six Boeing 737-800 models and four Boeing 737-MAX models. The aircraft will deliver through 2020,” GECAS said in a statement.

The planes are valued at US$960 million at list prices.

It will be a major makeover for state-owned Myanmar Air, which was established in 1948 and currently operates domestic services using Fokker F28 jets and ATR turboprops.

For flights to smaller domestic airports, Myanmar Airways uses Beechcraft and Cessna planes.

As the sole state-owned airline it takes a stake in other airlines that offer services in Myanmar such as Myanmar International Airlines, the airline that offers the most international services.

Myanmar Airways safety record is poor and tour operators are reluctant to use its services due alleged low standards of aircraft maintenance and service.

However, that might change with the introduction of newer and bigger aircraft.

“We are pleased at GE to work with Myanmar Airways to provide new, state-of-the-art Boeing aircraft,” Norman Liu, president and chief executive of GECAS, said in a statement.

“This is an important milestone for the airline and for the development of Myanmar’s aviation industry.”

Myanmar Transportation Minister Nyan Htun Aung said the new Boeing planes would be used to expand the carrier’s routes to East Japan and South Korea.

The carrier’s sole international destination currently is Gaya in India, which is important for Buddhist pilgrims.

Visit us at Threeland Travel Myanmar to get further information about traveling around the world and exploring Myanmar; to have access to the best travel services and to meet our professional consultants who're always available for help. For any inquiry please contact us.

A warm welcome from Threelanders.

Read More

Kyet Cave in Myanmar to be preserved

Myanmar’s Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry says its famous Kyet Cave, located between Loikaw and Shadaw in Kayah State, has been designated a national protected park area.

The conservation area will cover 166 acres and include Kyet Cave, situated 9 miles away from Loikaw, the capital of Kayah State.

The state government has organised a committee to improve access and facilities such as paving the road that leads to the cave, building shelters for travellers as well as installing lighting and water.

The 1,700 foot-deep cave is also called “Yarsu Ku” (Yarsu means gunpowder and Ku means hole) as people used to collect bat-droppings found here to produce gunpowder for fireworks.

The cave is one of the natural wonders of the area and can be explored with guides to explain the formations. It is open to visitors 0900 to 1500. The cave has a reputation as a place where ghosts are present, probably due to the presence of 4 to 18 foot-long coffins apparently placed there by rich people who insisted on being buried with their possessions.

The cave is regarded as a special geological zone and the natural environment around it is protected.

Kayah State is now mostly open for visitors, although certain areas are still out of bounds due to the risks that a ceasefire between government forces and ethnic armed groups could be broken without warning.

Visit us at Threeland Travel Myanmar to get further information about traveling around the world and exploring Myanmar; to have access to the best travel services and to meet our professional consultants who're always available for help. For any inquiry please contact us.

A warm welcome from Threelanders.

Read More

Easier Myanmar's Passports

Myanmar recently opened passport offices in 15 regions and states in addition to the existing offices in Yangon and Mandalay.

The government’s official media, New Light of Myanmar, reported new offices opened in Hpa-An, Kayin State 2 January on the premises of the Police Special Branch.

Passport offices have also been set up in 15 regions and states, the report said.

The new centre will cut the cost of applying for a passport as previously citizens living in the provinces had to travel to Yangon or Mandalay to obtain a passport. The Mandalay passport office opened last July.

An eligible citizen can get a passport within two weeks instead of 21 days in the past. It costs US$25.

In the past, obtaining or renewing a passport was a complex procedure and many applications were arbitrarily rejected.

The actual passport is only five pages down from a previous 14 pages. Officials claimed they reduced the pages to speed up the process without explaining how a smaller passport accomplished that feat.

Visit us at Threeland Travel Myanmar to get further information about traveling around the world and exploring Myanmar; to have access to the best travel services and to meet our professional consultants who're always available for help. For any inquiry please contact us.

A warm welcome from Threelanders.

Read More

New Best Western Property in Myanmar

The opening of the BEST WESTERN Green Hill Hotel, Yangon, marks only the start of BWI’s expansion plans in Myanmar. Next year the company will launch its first hotel in the country’s capital, Nay Pyi Taw.

Best Western International (BWI) is delighted to announce the opening of its first hotel in Myanmar – the world’s most exciting emerging tourism destination.

The company has now officially launched the Best Western Green Hill Hotel, Yangon – a contemporary, 189-room midscale hotel located in the heart of Myanmar’s largest city, with views of the glittering spires of the stunning Shwedagon Pagoda.

“I am absolutely delighted to welcome the BEST WESTERN Green Hill Hotel into our fast-expanding portfolio of hotels in Asia,” said Glenn de Souza, BWI’s Vice President of International Operations for Asia and the Middle East.

“Once again Best Western International is blazing a trail in the global hospitality industry. Our arrival in Myanmar makes Best Western the first US-based hotel company to establish a presence in this exciting country, since it opened up to international investment. This is a great source of pride for our historic company.

“With the incredible growth and development currently being seen in Myanmar, and incredibly bright forecasts for the future, I am extremely confident that BEST WESTERN Green Hill Hotel will be a huge success. Best Western International sees huge potential in Myanmar, and we intended to be here for the long-term, helping to grow the country’s tourism industry,” Mr. de Souza added.

Best Western Green Hill Hotel, Yangon, offer 189 contemporary guest rooms and suites with a range of modern amenities for the international traveler, including complimentary in-room Wi-Fi, work desks, power sockets and flat-screen TVs with satellite channels.

The hotel also features a restaurant serving Asian and international cuisine, while the corporate and events markets are well catered for, with three meeting rooms offering more than 200m² of function space.

Visit us at Threeland Travel Myanmar to get further information about traveling around the world and exploring Myanmar; to have access to the best travel services and to meet our professional consultants who're always available for help. For any inquiry please contact us.

A warm welcome from Threelanders.

Read More

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.

Visit us at http://www.threeland.com/ to get further information about traveling around the world and Vietnam holidays 2014; to have access to the best travel services and to meet our professional consultants who're always available for help. For any inquiry please contact us.

A warm welcome from Threelanders.

Read More

Myanmar Agrees On Commercial Flights

Myanmar has updated its aviation agreements with South Korea and Bangladesh to open the way for commercial flights.

The respective civil aviation departments of Myanmar, South Korea and Bangladesh amended aviation contracts and updated clauses that were outdated. Most of Myanmar’s aviation agreements date back to the close of World War II and in many instances were not updated.

The country Civil Aviation Department general director, Tin Naing Tun, was quoted by local media as saying: “We had to cancel clauses that were not suitable in the present situation.”

In the new agreements airlines of Bangladesh and South Korea can apply for traffic rights at multiple destinations rather than just Yangon.

Myanmar International Airway and Air Bagan both have secured rights to fly to Bangladesh last year.

Due to the changes in the aviation contract with Korea, KAL and Asiana Airlines can now fly to cities in Myanmar.

Myanmar has aviation agreements with 46 countries and the ones with Europe and, United States were the most liberal dating back to air transport agreements signed in 1949. They basically gave airlines from the US and UK freedom to fly as many services as they liked. The option was never taken up as the country closed and sanctions were introduced to prevent airlines serving the country.

As a member of ASEAN, the country will have to adopt an “Open Skies Policy” in 2015, which will allow ASEAN registered airlines greater access to Myanmar’s skies – and ultimately allow them to serve domestic routes. The policy will be limited to international services to major cities designated by each country leaving the domestic options to much later.

Visit us at Threeland Travel Myanmar to get further information about traveling around the world and exploring Myanmar tours; to have access to the best travel services and to meet our professional consultants who're always available for help. For any inquiry please contact us.

Read More