Tourism

While tourism has been identified as a crucial component of Myanmar’s future economic development, the government faces an enormous challenge in realising its ambitions. Not only must it modernise its creaky infrastructure and develop tourism products to attract and encourage travellers to return, it must also address a talent shortage that...

When Myanmar recently began opening its doors to the outside world, tourists rushed at the chance to see a country that had not only been closed to them for decades, but that also boasted a rich culture and heritage. The country continues to attract a steady stream of overseas visitors to established sites from Yangon to Bagan and Inle Lake,...

Under the military regime, even if a tourist decided to ignore the National League for Democracy’s call for a boycott and visit Myanmar, getting a visa required a number of trips to the nearest embassy and considerable patience. These days, it can all be done online in a matter of hours, as the country turns to technology to help reduce...

The year 2016 has proved to be a sobering one for Myanmar’s hotels, especially in Yangon, which is home to more than a third of the country’s hotels.

As Algeria rushes to expand its limited hospitality infrastructure, the country risks surpassing its ability to effectively staff and manage its tourism establishments. “Hospitality is a true profession,” Xavier Arnoux, general manager of the new Radisson Blu in Algiers, told OBG. “We see private investors improvise at operating hotels, then...

With over 1600 km of Mediterranean coastline, important cultural and historical sites, and the striking desert landscapes of the Sahara, Algeria has long held considerable potential for tourism. As the government seeks to rapidly diversify the economy, it has singled out tourism as one of five priority sectors for investment – not least in...