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Parliament buildings in Nay Pyi Taw.
The government of Myanmar has announced new initiatives to attract tourists and conference and exhibition organisers to the capital city, Nay Pyi Taw, The Bangkok Post reported.
U Tint Thwin, director general at the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, told a press conference recently that Nay Pyi Taw had a lot to offer both foreign and local tourists.
A marketing team is to boost efforts to promote the capital as a location for MICE – meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions, he said.
The government was also running tours of parliament for local youth groups, he said. The capital has historical significance that it should leverage to draw locals.
‘Our ancient kings also regarded this place as a place of nobility, so local travellers also can come to Nay Pyi Taw to learn all about this,’ he said.
Nay Pyi Taw saw an increase in hotel construction in the lead up to 2014 Asean events while held the chair that year for the regional block. But many of the facilities have been underutilised since, the Myanmar Times, has reported.
The government last year began pushing Nay Pyi Taw as a potential destination for conferences and events. But Yangon is still the overwhelming preference as an entry point for tourist arrivals. In 2015, 1.2 million travellers arrived via Yangon, compared to just 13,800 in the capital, according to figures from the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism.
There are more than 50 hotels with over 5000 rooms in Myanmar’s capital city, with the industry working together to promote the area.
But not everyone agrees with the capital’s tourism potential. ‘Nay Pyi Taw is like a dead city,’ said U Aye Kyaw, managing director of Ruby Land Tourism Services.
It takes more than a few conference halls to lure foreign visitors to a MICE destination, he said. ‘There need to be facilities with shopping spots and restaurants too,’ he said. ‘And we can’t compete with Thailand and Vietnam on hotel room prices.’
Daw Zar Chi Thet, operations manager at Ayarwaddy Legend Travels and Tours, welcomed the government’s initiatives, but said there was still much to do in the capital before foreign visitors saw it as an international conference destination.
‘Lower room prices are one of just many factors needed to help promote a MICE industry,’ she said. ‘There should be more cheap direct flights to Nay Pyi Taw, for example.’
Additional entertainment facilities were also important to the industry, Daw Zar Chi Thet added.
‘Tourists have told us that there is no place to go when the events are finished,’ she said. ‘It is not enough to have only lower hotel room prices, but we need better transportation and other facilities to promote a tourism industry in Nay Pyi Taw.’
See the full story here: http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/news/1102168/myanmar-to-push-capital-as-destination-for-event-organisers
News source: www.bangkokpost.com, Myanmar Times
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