ADB, Norway help Myanmar develop tourism

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said in its latest press release that it will coordinate with the Government of Norway to assist Myanmar in developing tourism through a 500-million-USD Tourism Master Plan.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said in its latest press release thatit will coordinate with the Government of Norway to assist Myanmarin developing tourism through a 500-million-USD Tourism Master Plan.

The plan consists of 38 development projects that willhelp increase the Myanmar tourism sector’s competitiveness, protectthe environment in important areas, and safeguard ethnic communities.

Theywill focus on expanding international air arrivals in Mandalay andNay Pyi Taw, improving and upgrading ports in the Bagan river, andbuilding feeder roads in destinations of Ngapali beach and Inle Lake.

“This master plan outlines a path to welcomingmore visitors to Myanmar without threatening our unique culturalheritage or endangering pristine environments”, said Myanmar’sMinister for Hotels and Tourism U Htay Aung.

Hefurther said that if Myanmar continues implementing economic,political and social reforms, international visitor arrivals areforecast to rise as high as 7.5 million in 2020, a seven-fold increasefrom the current number, with corresponding tourism receipts worth 10.1billion USD and 1.4 million jobs to be created.

Tourism will be a pillar of Myanmar’s economy, and it has thepotential to create job opporutnities for the local people, includingthose living in poor communities, said ADB Vice President Stephen Groff.

He added that the plan is a long-term vision, and asolid start to ensure tourism contributes to equitable social andeconomic development in Myanmar.

Statisticsshowed that nearly half a million visitors arrived in Myanmar by airlast year, with most of them from Thailand, China, Japan, the US, theRepublic of Korea, France, Germany, Malaysia, Singapore, and the UK.-VNA

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