Three community-based tourism (CBT) projects, including Salone village in Tanintharyi Region, will be implemented within a year in cooperation with local entrepreneurs and the Ministry of Hotel and Tourism, said U Nyo Aye, director of the hotel and tourism department of Tanintharyi Region, on Thursday.
The projects would take place in Ma Kyone Galet Salone village in Kawthaung, also known as a sea gypsy village, Don Nyaung Mhaing village in Myeik and San Hlan village in Dawei.
Ma Kyone Galet village is usually inhabited by Salone people. However, migrant workers and other Kayan people also live there.
“We are starting ground survey in these villages and raising awareness for the villagers. They are eager to become CBT villages. That is why we will start the project as soon as possible,” U Nyo Aye said.
They intend to hold Salone workshop in Kawthaung in the second week of December in cooperation with the Tanintharyi regional government to address Salone people’s challenges and difficulties, he said.
“We tried to maintain their original way of life by the sea and to conserve their traditional culture,” U Nyo Aye said.
Tourist arrivals in Tanintharyi Region totalled more than 330,000 visitors in 2016 through border gates, and is expected to be the same this year, he said.
“Arrivals in Tanintharyi region have not increased much compared to last year. But tourism increased by 25 percent throughout the country by the end of October,” said U Myint Htwe, deputy director general of the Ministry of Hotel and Tourism.
Starting early this month, up to 12 international cruises are scheduled to arrive at Macleod Island in Myeik archipelago by the end of March 2018. That should bring more tourism to the region, he said.
CBT is one of the priority projects to be implemented by the tourism ministry included in the 100-day project set forth by the new government in 2016.
Nine such projects have already been completed in the country, and projects in Kayah State, Sagaing Region, Ayeyarwady Region and other regions are ongoing, according to the ministry.
Source : Myanmar Times
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