Deep in the south of Myanmar, the Mergui Archipelago is almost off the map. Mostly uninhabited, the islands are home to around 2000 people, mostly Moken, known as “sea gypsies”, many of whom are skilled divers and fishermen living a semi-nomadic lifestyle. Some of the roughly 800 limestone and granite islands are just rocks jutting out of the...
Hundreds of thousands of foreign tourists have visited Myanmar since 2010 when relations with the West thawed and the country began to open up to the outside world. While some are eager to experience the South-east Asian nation’s rich culture and heritage, others are simply curious to see the once isolated country before it changes forever. At the same time, economic development is expanding...
Many have hailed Myanmar’s recent economic, political and social restructuring as ground breaking, and for good reason. In a relatively short period the country’s economy has gone from being largely isolated to being a focal point for foreign investment.
In June 2013 the Myanmar Ministry of Hotels and Tourism unveiled its Tourism Master Plan, which aims to set clear guidelines for the development of the tourism sector over the next seven years. The government is hoping to channel the industry’s short-term growth into long-term benefits for the country.
White sand beaches and rolling green hills dotted with sacred lakes, golden pagodas and thick jungle cover a culturally diverse and sheltered land that has only just begun opening up to the outside world. Indeed, the tourism sector has been the fastest-growing sector of Myanmar’s economy since the country opened to foreign trade three years ago, though its contribution...
After decades of sluggish growth in the tourism sector, Myanmar’s hotels are now cashing in on the surge of new arrivals, with nightly rates soaring up to five times what they were a decade ago. Furthermore, new entrants are now keen to enter the market, and some of the world’s best-known brands have plans to expand into the country.
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