The stunning coastal region of Tanintharyi will play a key role in boosting Myanmar’s marine tourism sector, a senior government official has said.
The Ministry of Hotels and Tourism wants to encourage more tourism in the untouched southern region in a bid to capitalise on the growing numbers of international luxury travellers taking an interest in Myanmar.
“We are promoting tourism in the Myeik archipelago zone and allowing travellers to visit most of the islands except the restricted islands,” said U Myint Htway, director of the ministry of Hotels and Tourism.
The government, INGOs and community based groups are working on a joint plan to boost Myanmar’s marine tourism sector, the Minister for Hotels and Tourism told an audience at the Myanmar International Travel Mart conference last month.
Tanintharyi, Myanmar’s southern most region, has over 800 islands and was first opened to tourists in 1997, primarily targeting diving and sport fishing tourists.
Amid a surge in upscale tourism in the region, 12 hotel projects have been approved and are under development. Other applications pending review include proposals for a casino, a golf course, and a marine recreation centre.
The developments approved so far in the region are worth $59 million.
While there are 36 licensed hotels and guesthouses in the regional centres of Kawthung and Myeik, there are only two hotels operating in the Myeik archipelago, including the Grand Andaman Resort on Tha Htay Kyun Island and the Myanmar Andaman Resort on Macleod Island.
From 1,158 visitors in 2012, who all arrived via licenced marine vessels, the total number of arrivals to Myeik rose to 338,938 in 2016. Numbers have been buoyed since the opening of the Ranong-Kawthaung border between Thailand and Myanmar in August 2013.
Last month, Myanmar and Thailand updated a 1998 Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in the tourism sector, especially marine tourism.
Source: Myanmar Business Today
