THE Hotels and Tourism Supervising Department, which falls under the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, has made it known that a total of 36 hotels across Myanmar have applied for building permits as of this mid-July.
Of the total number of hotels which made their applications between January and mid-July this year, 16 have been granted permits while applications of the remaining 20 are still scrutinised.
“We’ve only received license applications from about three of four [hotels] this month, but we receive letters for permission to construct hotels on a daily basis. Licenses are only granted once the ministry has examined the group that desire to construct a hotel and after an EC meeting has been held. Licenses are granted only if deemed appropriate for the environment in which construction has been applied for,” answered a director of the Hotels and Tourism Supervising Department, upon being questioned via telephone on Monday.
Hotel contractors have been instructed to submit their applications for building permits to the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, prior to breaking any ground, since 1994, but some contractors disregard this directive, constructing their hotel first with permission from the municipality before later making a submission to the ministry. In light of such behavior, the ministry has reportedly reiterated the need for permit applications to be submitted before building work commences. “Directives, outlining the requirement for hotel construction license applications to be submitted prior to hotel construction, were sent to the offices of Hotels and Tourism Departments around the country in June as there have been cases of construction permits for large-scale hotel projects being applied for in the wake of the hotels being completed.” said U Myint Sein, assistant director of the Hotels and Tourism Department for Magway Region. Owners of hotels which have been constructed without prior permission from the ministry will reportedly have to sign a declaration that states they take responsibility for the sturdiness of their building and that guest rooms, kitchens, lobbies, waste and sewage disposal systems are all of a quality standard.
“It’s also stated in the law.” added the director. “It’s more advisable to apply for a permit prior to construction so that hotel rooms, kitchens, waste and sewage systems can be built in accordance with license stipulations. It’s impossible to determine how the foundations of a hotel were laid after it’s been constructed. Hotel owners are ordered to sign a declaration that states they take full responsibility for their constructed building, as ordering them to tear it down would incur many losses.”
As of July this year, Myanmar boasts 1,356 licensed hotels which feature a total of 53,003 rooms, according to the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism.—Myitmakha News Agency
Source: The Global New Light Of Myanmar
