Myanmar anticipates good prospects with tourism industry in 2015

As Myanmar is nearing the target of 3 million visitors by the end of this year, the country anticipates bright prospects for its tourism industry in 2015 .

As predicted by global travel search engine Skyscanner, Myanmar will be the hottest travel destination next year, ranking first in top-10 tourist destinations for the year.

Skyscanner's prediction is based on its data which found a 59- percent increase in flight search for the country.

Meanwhile, the planned hosting of ASEAN Tourism Forum-2015 in January 22-29, 2015 also helps enhance the country's tourism growth.

Up to November this year, tourist arrivals in Myanmar had registered 2.7 million, getting close to attain the targeted 3 million by the end of this year.

According to statistics of Myanmar Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, tourist arrivals in Myanmar rose 43 percent, hitting 1.6 million in the first seven months of 2014, compared with 1.12 million correspondingly.

Since the civilian government came into office in March 2011, tourism arrivals in Myanmar reached 1.06 million in 2012 and 2.04 million in 2013.

Of the 2.04 million tourists visiting Myanmar in 2013, 1.144 million came through border gates, while 817,699 through the Yangon International Airport and 69,596 through Mandalay International Airport in the second largest city.

Foreign exchange earnings through tourism increased from 534 million U.S. dollars in 2012 to 926 million dollars in 2013 and it is projected to reach over 1 billion dollars in 2014.

As far as infrastructure is concerned, Myanmar saw the opening of over 1,076 hotels, motels and guest houses so far in 2014, making available for about 42,037 rooms at present across the country.

The 2014 figures were up from 731 in 2011 with over 25,000 rooms when the civilian government took office.

In Yangon, there are so far 279 hotels with 12,794 rooms, among which 26 are in operation with foreign investment, while five others are under joint venture.

Meanwhile, the World Travel and Tourism Council said Myanmar's hotels and tourist sector currently contributes 3.7 percent to the country's gross domestic product, estimating that the percentage could reach 9.5 by the end of 2014.

In a bid to boost tourist arrivals in the country, Myanmar has introduced online e-visa for tourists from 67 countries including ASEAN's since Sept. 1.

The system ensures all tourists worldwide destined to Myanmar to get e-visa within five days.

Moreover, Myanmar has also reached visa exemption agreements with Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia, the Philippines and Vietnam, and negotiations are underway with Malaysia and Singapore on similar agreements.

As part of its efforts to boost tourism, Myanmar is seeking cooperation with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in conducting a pre-feasibility study for a project for establishment of the pilot model for tourism development in Bagan, an ancient city in Mandalay region.

The technical cooperation project includes improvement of tourist infrastructure, human resources development and heritage and environmental conservation.

Myanmar enacted Hotels and Tourism Law in 1993, allowing the private sector to operate in tourism industry.

Foreign investment in the hotels and tourist sector reached 2. 154 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for 4.32 percent of the total and standing sixth sectorally in Myanmar's foreign investment line- up as of September 2014 since late 1988 when the country first opened its door to the world.