Cruise beyond money matters

BANGKOK: Heritage Line a river cruise operator in Myanmar is a mite shy about sharing its prices online so discovering just how amazing the latest offers are becomes problematic for the online booker.

But there is definitely demand for river cruises in Myanmar from travellers who want to explore rural scenes beyond the popular urban destinations; Yangon, Mandalay and Bagan.

Just this week a Singaporean traveller asked me what I thought about cruising between Mandalay and Bagan? Read more

Festival time in Myanmar

YANGON 25 August 2017: Myanmar’s festival season kicks off in September, a month-long period of celebrations that showcase the country’s culture and traditions.

From dancing papier-mâché elephants to colourful parades, from oil lamp illuminations to long-tail boat racing, the festive season is one of the best times to visit Myanmar according to Myanmar Tourism Marketing.

September marks the end of Buddhist Lent and the closing weeks of the annual rainy season. Read more

Myanmar lake named biosphere reserve

YANGON, 2 August 2017: Myanmar’s efforts to gain UNESCO recognition for natural and heritage sites sees the country’s largest freshwater lake designated a “Biosphere Reserve”.

It joins Inle Lake, in Shan State, which gained the same status from UNESCO in 2015.

Myanmar Tourism Marketing said the latest recognition would encourage efforts to gain World Heritage status for a number of sites around the country. Read more

Myanmar emphasis on ecotourism

YANGON, 31 July 2017: Myanmar’s Ministry of Hotels and Tourism will focus on ecotourism in an attempt to increase visitors to the country.

Ecotourism and community-based tourism are now strong marketing trends used to attract tourists and Myanmar has already considerable experience in homestay and community-linked tourism.

Myanmar currently has 21 ecotourism sites, which include 16 existing sites and a handful of underdeveloped ones, as well as 13 community-based tourism projects in Sagaing, Mandalay, Magwe, and Yangon regions and Shan, Karenni and Kachin states. Read more

Floods sink Myanmar pagoda

YANGON, 25 July 2017: Rising floodwaters have swallowed a Buddhist pagoda in central Myanmar and sent tens of thousands fleeing their homes, as the government warned of more heavy rains ahead.

Dramatic footage circulating on social media showed the riverside pagoda sinking into the flood waters in Magway region, with shocked bystanders looking on as its golden spire collapsed beneath the waves.

Monk Pyinnya Linkara, who filmed the footage, said the pagoda was destroyed on Thursday last week. Read more

Tourism law in parliament

YANGON, 19 July 2017: Myanmar Tourism Federation says the country’s new tourism draft law has already been submitted to parliament and it is expected to be enacted this year.

Global New Light of Myanmar reported that the new law was initially drafted in 2015 to raise the quality of tourism services.

It identifies the rights and responsibilities of tourism professionals and also protects tourists. Read more

Myanmar airlines face fare challenges

YANGON, 18 July 2017: Myanmar’s airlines are finding it more difficult to compete and grow traffic due to heightened competition from foreign airlines, according to the Myanmar Travel Association.

The country has 10 airlines with a fleet of around 58 planes serving both domestic and international routes.

One of the major problems facing local airlines is the high cost of fuel and taxes. Fares are subsidised for citizens with foreigners paying more than double. Read more

Pagoda wants UNESCO recognition

YANGON, 12 July 2017: Myanmar’s Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture will  propose that Shwedagon Pagoda apply for UNESCO World Heritage status for a listing possibly by 2020.

Global New Light of Myanmar reported that the Shwedagon Pagoda’s board of trustees, believe World Heritage status would draw more tourists to Yangon.

An estimated 300,000 tourists visited Shwedagon Pagoda during the past five months of 2017, according to official statistics from the Shwedagon Pagoda board of trustees. Read more

Green with a dash of hot deals

YANGON, 6 July 2017: In a bid to change travel consumer behaviour, Myanmar Tourism Marketing says Myanmar is raining travel deals.

The country’s tourism promoters call the rainy season “green” a colour coding that was first sprung by Thailand to overcome the same perception that the monsoon season heralds weeks of torrential rain. Now Myanmar is talking up its monsoon season.

“Previously regarded as the least attractive time to visit Myanmar, the monsoon season actually brings plenty of advantages to visit the Golden Land,” MTM states in its latest promotion. Read more

Accor expands Myanmar portfolio

YANGON, 4 July 2017: AccorHotels and LP Holding have signed a joint agreement to develop three new hotels in Myanmar; one in Yangon and two in Mandalay, the country’s second largest city.

The partnership will see the opening of Mercure Mandalay Hill Resort and Pullman Yangon Centrepoint this year and Mandalay Hill Resort MGallery by Sofitel in 2020.

“We are very pleased to partner with LP Holding with the development of these three new properties in Myanmar. The three hotels are situated in strategic locations in Yangon and Mandalay, for tourists and business guests alike,” said, AccorHotels, upper southeast and northeast Asia chief operating officer Patrick Basset. Read more

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