Vice-Chairman of State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win Delivers Address at the Meeting (1/2022) of National Tourism Development Central Committee

The meeting (1/2022) of the Central Committee on National Tourism Development was held at the Jade Hall of the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism in Nay Pyi Taw on 27 May. During the meeting, Chairman of National Tourism Development Central Committee Vice-Chairman of the SAC Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win attended and addressed the meeting as follows:

• Since all tourism activities were halted after COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic, Myanmar received only 0.9 million foreign tourists in 2020 declining by 79 percent compared to 2019. There were 0.13 million in 2021.
• As the global countries are able to control the pandemic, tourism activities have resumed.
• As Myanmar allowed regular international flights as of 17 April, there were 20,657 local travellers and 5,561 foreign travellers who used regular international flights till 25 May. There is an average of nine airlines and 282 landings per day.
• As Myanmar has a lot of tourism destinations to attract tourism, it is necessary to be able to capture the interesting attractions that already exist.
• As the vaccination processes are being accelerated in the country to be able to control and prevent the COVID-19 outbreaks, more than 33.3 million people have been vaccinated against COVID-19 up to 25 May.
• With the improvement of full vaccination status, the rate of confirmed cases with COVID-19 has been lower, which will be helpful to easing travel restrictions and reopening tourism related businesses as soon as possible.
• In addition, the reopening of border crossings will be considered as international tourists visit Myanmar through border crossings.
• Beyond the post-COVID-19 period, the international travellers prefer to visit places such as rural areas having fresh air and pleasant scenery rather than the travels to populous cities.
• The facts being a COVID-19 Safe Destination with Health & Safety Protocols are the most effective Marketing and Promotion Tools for promoting our region’s destinations
• As the Online and Digital Platforms have become widely used during the pandemic, it is the time to apply the changing technology.
• Myanmar’s variety of traditional culture and tradition, religion and belief, religious festivals and events and natural scenery are invaluable resources to develop a variety of tourism businesses.
• Besides, supervisory work is to be carried out by the officials of regional working committees to enable the businessmen in the hotels and tourism sectors to pay tax to the State without fail.
• Myanmar needs to make preparations for enabling people with disabilities (PWDs) to come and visit the destinations across the country, and create job op­portunities for the PWDs.
• By doing so, it will be helpful to developing Myanmar as a nation having a capacity of not only receiving all travellers but also developing a responsible, sustainable tourism industry.

The meeting was attended by Union Ministers, the chairman of Nay Pyi Taw Council, deputy ministers and officials while region and state chief ministers, tourism experts, related associations and officials joined the event through videoconferencing.

• Since all tourism activities were halted after COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic, Myanmar received only 0.9 million foreign tourists in 2020 declining by 79 percent compared to 2019. There were 0.13 million in 2021.
• As Myanmar allowed regular international flights as of 17 April, there were 20,657 local travellers and 5,561 foreign travellers who used regular international flights till 25 May. There is an average of nine airlines and 282 landings per day.
• As Myanmar has a lot of tourism destinations to attract tourism, it is necessary to be able to capture the interesting attractions that already exist.
• In addition, the reopening of border crossings will be considered as international tourists visit Myanmar through border crossings.
• As the Online and Digital Platforms have become widely used during the pandemic, it is the time to apply the changing technology.
• Myanmar’s variety of traditional culture and tradition, religion and belief, religious festivals and events and natural scenery are invaluable resources to develop a variety of tourism businesses.