Visitor arrivals in Chin State double in two years

Visitor arrivals in Chin State double in two years
Tourists visit a Chin village. (Photo-Aung Thu Nyein)
Tourists visit a Chin village. (Photo-Aung Thu Nyein)
Published 25 November 2018
Nilar

The number of local and foreign visitors to Chin State has increased by double within two years as the incumbent government has laid down the tourism development plan, according to the report on challenges and opportunities for economic development in Chin State.

The current government explored new ways to promote the tourism sector. In addition, it held the first tourism development forum in Kanpetlet Township in Chin State in June, 2016 and laid down tourism development plan.

In January, 2017, the first community-based tourism (CBT) project was introduced at Sawlaung village in Kanpetlet Township. The second CBT center emerged at Tarshun village in Falam Township in March, 2018.

The CBT project aims to enable locals to generate income through tourism. According to the SMEs development strategic tasks, the government has proposed to prioritize the hand-woven Chin traditional textile industry, in addition to the tourism business, according to the report.

According to the strategic tasks, the government plans to implement coffee, corn and CBT in Tonzang and Tedim Townships, Reed Lake-based tourism, avocado, elephant foot yam, coffee and CBT in Kanpetlet, Mindat and Matupi Townships and mango, elephant foot yam, ginger, traditional clothes and bamboo-based tourism in Paletwa Township.

Local and foreign visitors are becoming interested in Chin State, according to the tour companies.

Until October, 2018, Chin State received arrivals of 2.4 million tourists, a 1.22-per-cent increase compared with the same period last year, said Union Minister for Hotels and Tourism Ohn Maung.

Local tourism is the big market as local tourism sites receive more local visitors than tourists.

Taunggyi, Pindaya, Bagan, Mt Poppa, Alaungtaw Kathapa, Shwesettaw, Kyaikto and Chaungtha Beach are the most popular destinations among local visitors, according to the Myanmar Tourism Human Resource Development Strategy and Action Plan (2017-2020).