UNION Minister for Hotels and Tourism U Ohn Maung and Deputy Minister U Tin Latt virtually joined the discussion under the topic “The impact of COVID-19 on Myanmar Hotel Industry & Better Future Plan” hosted by the Myanmar Hospitality Professionals Associations yesterday afternoon from Nay Pyi Taw.

At the discussion, Deputy Minister U Tin Latt, Director from the Ministry of Health and Sports Dr Khin Khin Gyi, Vice-Chair of the Myanmar Hotelier Association U Than Htut and Advisor to the Myanmar Tourism Federation U Thet Lwin Toe acted as panellists.

Union Minister U Ohn Maung said the topic of the discussion is very timely as it is aimed at overcoming the current situation and how to overcome it. He said the present Government started to develop not only regular hotel-centred tourism but also community-based tourism in 2016 as well as the development of the primary destinations such as Yangon, Bagan, Inlay, Ngapali and secondary goals in 2017.

He continued the number of tourist arrival increased from over 2 million in 2016 to over 4 million in 2019 because of visa liberalization in 10 Western European countries and 5 Asian countries in 2019. He said the COVID-19 pandemic occurred by the time more than 400,000 tourists arrived in the early months of 2020, which was expected to reach 5 million tourists in 2020 and 6 million in 2021.

The Union Minister added the implementation of COVID-19 Tourism Relief Plan and the development of the Myanmar Tourism Strategic Rescue Roadmap (2021-2025) MTSRR in accordance with the Myanmar Economic Recovery & Reform Plan MERRP for the post-2020 years which aim to revive the tourism and to return to its original state in 2023-2024.

He also said the tourism businesses that follow the protocol of the Enchanting Myanmar Health & Safety Protocols would be allowed to use Safe Tourism Myanmar Stamp. He called on the tour operators to work with the Ministry to restore the trust of foreign tourist and domestic travellers as the Ministry is cooperating with relevant ministries to develop Myanmar’s rural tourism areas in line with the World Tourism Organization’s 2020 theme of rural development with tourism.

The panellists coordinated the meeting after the discussion of Deputy Minister U Tin Latt on development of tourism recovery plan, conditions on impact survey for Hotels and Tourism and the development of COVID-19 Tourism Relief Plan and Myanmar Tourism Strategic Rescue Roadmap (2021-2025) (MTSRR) as a follow-up to COVID-19 Economic Relief Plan (CERP).

MNA

(Translated by Ei Phyu Phyu Aung)

Photo: MNA

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