A total of over 37,000 tourists from third party countries visited Myanmar via Myawady border within 11 months in this year, 23,000 more tourists compared with the number of tourist arrival last year, sources said.

In 2018, only over 14,000 tourists visited Myanmar via Myawady border and the number of tourist arrival rose this year as more Chinese tourists visited Myanmar.

ThebChinese also applied e-visas in this open season to start businesses in Myanmar and visited in groups.

A total of 37,752 tourists from third party countries and 5,937 tourists from Thailand visited Myanmar during this year.

More than 26,800 Myanmar citizens visited Thailand with passport visas within 11 months in this year and only over 13,000 of them came back to Myanmar. They are frequently detained by Thai authorities for staying illegally in Thailand. Only about 6,000 Thai tourists came to visit Myanmar in that period.

Myanmar opened an international gateway for tourists to visit Myanmar via Myawady border on August 28, 2013 and more tourists applied e-visas via online.