Tourist arrival declines in Rakhine State

Published on Thursday, 08 November 2012 19:07

Fewer tourists have been visiting Rakhine State as a result of the conflicts between the ethnic Rakhines and the Bengalis, according to sources from the tourism industry.
Mrauk U and Ngapali Beach, the two most popular tourist attractions in the state, have seen a significant decrease in the number of tourists, and the decline could be a huge setback for the state’s tourism industry.
Tun Shwe Maung, a Sittwe-based tour operator, said some tour companies have cancelled their itineraries to Rakhine State citing security concerns.
He assured that there is stability in the state and the local tour operators will provide security for tourist transportations.
By far, not all places in Rakhine can be visited, although the authorities have reopened the state to tourists, and only those travelling with group tour packages are allowed to visit some certain places.