The Myanmar Tourism Master Plan 2013-20 aims to increase tourism employment and income that is distributed in a way that maximises benefits. It was followed by the Myanmar Tourism Strategic Recovery Roadmap 2021-25, which continues the earlier master plan but also proposes a devolution of tourism planning to regional centres, the enhancement of existing destinations and products, and the development of new ones.
Economic Outlook for Southeast Asia, China and India 2023
Reviving Tourism Post-Pandemic
Source: OECD Development Centre based on data from UNWTO (2022), “Global and regional tourism performance” (database), UN World Tourism Organization, https://www.unwto.org/tourism-data/global-and-regional-tourism-performance (accessed on 26 November, 2022) and WTTC (2022), “Myanmar 2022 Annual Research: key highlights”, https://wttc.org/DesktopModules/MVC/FactSheets/pdf/704/167_20220613165134_Myanmar2022_.pdf.
Introduction
Current situation and policy challenges
Tourism arrivals were steadily increasing in Myanmar prior to the pandemic but declined sharply in 2020 and 2021, primarily due to travel restrictions and political uncertainty. A significant drop in tourist arrivals can be observed from the countries bordering Myanmar. The government recorded a yearly drop of 85% from China, 76% from India and 78% from Thailand in 2020 (Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, 2020).
Infrastructure development and maintenance of key attractions
Since early 2021, several infrastructure-building programmes – in transportation networks, electricity and energy – have been in limbo (Win, 2021). Investments worth approximately USD 20 billion will be affected. Much of the country’s tourism infrastructure needs further development, from airports to road transportation. There is also a dire need of funding for the maintenance of key temples and attractions in Mandalay, Bagan and other remote regions, as well to ensure their attractiveness. In an extensive study of Myanmar’s ancient cities, it was found that the country’s existing tourism products can be enhanced and further expanded (LaGeS, 2016). The research was conducted by Laboratorio Di Geografia Sociale at the University of Florence in collaboration with the University of Mandalay and various Myanmar government ministries. The findings provided recommendations including:
Pedestrian pathways should be widened and new ones created for leisurely walks beyond historical sites and natural features in and around urban centres.
Elementary mobility connections should be established between distant attractions due to the lack of an efficient transportation network.
Visitor routes should be created to handicraft cities, rural villages and viewing points where there are heights.
Cycling routes should be developed for athletic tourists.
There should be regular maintenance of religious monuments and monasteries, e.g. to repair rain damage to roofs, which can cause seepage onto mural paintings and floorings over time.
Community-based tourism
The development and promotion of community-based tourism (CBT) is aligned with the tourism policy of benefiting communities through equitable distribution of income (Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, 2022). Some 46 villages are currently using the CBT model, part of a strategy to involve rural communities in tourism to provide them with additional income aimed at alleviating poverty. A crucial aspect of CBT development is public-private partnerships involving rural communities. Greater guidance could be given by the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism to rural communities on the types of services that can be provided.
Though much of the agricultural produce in rural communities is for self-consumption by families, the idyllic rural lifestyle, together with authentic food and homestay living, are excellent pull factors for tourism. Regulatory measures are needed to ensure that those participating in CBT are prepared to undergo some form of hospitality training on hosting guests and preparation of accommodation to a reasonable standard for tourists, including maintaining reasonable standards of hygiene and safety. For local operators to participate in an informed way, continuous training support on opportunities and pathways is needed, with the co-operation of tourism government agencies and community organisations at the local level (LaGeS, 2016).
References
IMF (2022), “World Economic Outlook Database” (accessed October 2022).
LaGeS (2016), Sustainable Destination Plan for the Ancient Cities of Upper Myanmar: Mandalay, Amarapura, Innwa, Sagaing, Mingun (2016-2021), Laboratorio Di Geografia Sociale, Università Degli Studi Di Firenze, http://www.lages.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Indice-da-Sustainable_Development_Plan.pdf.
Ministry of Hotels and Tourism (2022), “It is necessary to upgrade development of multi-faceted tourism industry in rural development and poverty alleviation: MoHT Union Minister”, https://tourism.gov.mm/it-is-necessary-to-upgrade-development-of-multi-faceted-tourism-industry-in-rural-development-and-poverty-alleviation-moht-union-minister/.
Ministry of Hotels and Tourism (2020), “Myanmar Tourism Statistics 2020”, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1j8hdoATIGpu7S7pcJtmF52lft-cINCjJ/view?usp=sharing.
UNWTO (2022), “Global and regional tourism performance” (database), UN World Tourism Organization, https://www.unwto.org/tourism-data/global-and-regional-tourism-performance (accessed on 26 November 2022).
Win, K. (2021), “Myanmar’s Infrastructure Development: A Dire Future”, Fulcrum, https://fulcrum.sg/myanmars-infrastructure-development-a-dire-future/.
WTTC (2022), “Myanmar 2022 Annual Research: key highlights”, https://wttc.org/DesktopModules/MVC/FactSheets/pdf/704/167_20220613165134_Myanmar2022_.pdf.