Myanmar to develop balloon flight tourism

Myanmar is planning to boost the country's hot air balloon rides to attract more tourist arrivals, the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism said on Friday.

Balloon flights will be expanded in major tourist attraction sites, including Inlay, Mandalay, Sagaing and Monywa, the ministry said.

Three companies - Balloons over Bagan, Myanmar Ballooning and Golden Express Tours - are operating balloon services in Bagan with a total of 21 balloons.

Customers for the balloon rides are mainly from Europe and the United States, the ministry added.

Bagan, which is on the list of the most beautiful hot air balloon rides in the world, started the services in 1999.

Hot air ballooning is particularly brisk during Christmas and Chinese Lunar New Year, a balloon flight businessmen said.

Balloon-ride passengers reached 17,802 with a revenue of 4.23 million U.S. dollars last year, up from 11,362 with 3.10 million U. S. dollars in 2013, the ministry said.

A total of 3.05 million tourists visited Myanmar in 2014, and the figure is expected to reach 7.5 million by 2020. Enditem