Singapore topped the list of foreign direct investments, followed by China. Since October 1, 2018, Myanmar granted visa exemption for visitors from Japan and South Korea and allowed visa-on-arrival for Chinese citizens including those from Hong Kong and Macau Self-Administered Regions, who will arrive by air. 

Thanks to it, the number of Chinese visitors to Myanmar has increased significantly. During 10 months of 2019, the number of Chinese tourist arrivals increased to 150 per cent. With the increasing number of Chinese tourists, the number of Chinese airlines has increased to 13. The extension of Chinese airlines in Myanmar is picked for the significant event of the year 2019, for the economic sector. 

Till October of this year, the number of Chinese tourist arrivals reached over 650,000, an increase compared with the same period last year. 

The increase in the number of Chinese tourist arrivals is linked to the visa exemption and the expansion of airlines between Myanmar and China. In last 2018, State-owned Myanmar National Airlines and some Chinese airlines started new flight schedules. In addition, the Citizen-owned Myanmar Airways International (MAI) operates flight schedules to five cities in China and flight schedules between Yangon and Mandalay. 

Till October this year, 13 Chinese airlines operate flight schedules between 18 cities in China and Yangon. In addition, Chinese airlines asked permission for the operation of flight schedules between China and Yangon. 

Currently, 37 international airlines are operating 37 flight schedules in Myanmar. China tops the list of airlines by operating 18 flight schedules by 13 Chinese airlines. The increasing number of Chinese tourists is a good expectation for the declining local airlines if local airlines can operate new flight schedules to China like Chinese airlines.