Tourism must be more than a business, minister says
Published on Monday, 04 February 2013 15:58
The tourism industry needs to operate on the premise that it is more than a business, Hotels and Tourism Minister Htay Aung told tourism business people recently, urging them to ensure that international visitors are treated sincerely.
The comments follow a surge in tourism that saw arrivals rise more than 50 percent last year over 2011. Myanmar drew more than one million international tourists last year, a record high. The number of tourists arriving at Yangon International Airport has climbed to 2,000 a day.
Htay Aung said the Ministry of Home Affairs was also planning to introduce new tourist policies. He also said the government welcomed new tour agencies and that it was paying special attention to the industry.
Foreign investment in hotels will see more than 6,500 rooms added nationwide over the next few years, according to recently released figures from the tourism ministry.
The 36 hotels will have a total of 6,766 rooms, the figures show.
Foreign investment in the sector totals $1.4 billion. Singapore investors top the list with $597 million in investment.
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