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Crackdown puts pressure on Visit Myanmar Year

MASS media reports on the crackdown on pro-democracy groups has resulted =

in a drop in tourist arrivals into Myanmar and agents say this doesn't =

auger well for the run-up to Visit Myanmar Year which begins on 1 
October. 
However Myanmar Airways and THAI =96 the two main carriers with daily =

flights to Yangon =96 report high loads from mostly business people. 
The crackdown by the SLORC military hasn't stifled foreign investment =

although hoteliers say they are worried that expected influx in tourist =

arrivals will be delayed until the polical conflict improves. 
SLORC is expected to soon announce a constitution which will be binding =

on the country's many nationalities. The constitution will enable a 
greater access to regions that are not on the tourist map for safety 
reasons. 
SLORC has placed a ban on visiting journalists but there is no 
restriction of tourist visas. 
Visas are being processed on demand at Burmese embassies. The Bangkok =

embassy is processing visa applications within 15 minutes. Applicants =

are required to supply three passport photographs and the fee of Bt600. =

Tourists are still required to cash US4300 into foreign exchange 
certificates which can be used for payment to hotels, restaurants and =

souvenir shops. 
SLORC is encouraging visitors to be part of tours. It has passed a law =

which prohibits independent travel within the country but has been 
reluctant to invoke the law as it could affect the world-wide campaign 
for Visit Myanmar Year. 
Hotel developers rushed to complete several luxury hotels in time for =

Visit Myanmar Year on the understanding that the promotional year would =

see a swelling in visitor arrivals. 
But hotels report that the upmarket tourists that can afford to stay in =

four-star hotels has yet to eventuate. Most arrivals are budget 
travellers. 
Hotels are relying on business travellers to lift room occupancy. The =

Summit Hotel in Yangon has been operating the past year with occupancies =


of more than 60%. 
The crackdown has kept travellers mostly in the capital. Mandalay has =

few tourists and the newly-opened 200-room Novotel Hotel =96 ideally 
located on Mandalay Hill overlooking the renovated Old Palace grounds =
=96 
is hopeful that business will pick up by the year's end. SLORC has been =

promoting Mandalay as a secondary tourism zone and the the Novotel is =

the only luxury hotel in Mandalay. 
The Road to Mandalay luxury cruise ship had a successful opening season =

but the E&O operators say they are undecided on what the ship will be =

used for during the monsoon rains which begin next month. 
One proposal was for the luxury liner to be berthed in Pagan where there =

are no luxury hotels and won't be until the Mandarin completes its hotel =

in two years. 
The first stage of the Baiyoke Teak Hotel has been completed and the 
hotel is doing reasonable business trade despite the lack of tourists. =

The gardens and swimming pool have still to be completed and, according =

to general manager Juergen Voss "the Baiyoke will be something 
special...it will appeal to both the business traveller and tourists." =

The hotel is built almost entirely of teak and the floors are made from =

marble squares. 

Designed, published and hosted by Cyberspace Asia Ltd.
=A9 1996, Orient Travel Press Ltd., All Rights Reserved 
http://www.siam.net/ttr/indochin/u17ictop.htm
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Accor takes stronger role in Myanmar with Pagan contract


ACCOR Asia-Pacific has secured a new management contract for 
Thiripyitsaya Hotel in Pagan, Myanmar =96 making it the first hotel in =

this historical town to come under international management. 
The 68-room old Thiripyitsaya Hotel was owned by the government and is =

considered the only tourist standard hotel in the province. The hotel =

was recently bought by a Japanese investment group =96 EXE Design which =

has extensive investment projects in Myanmar. 
Paul Wong, general manager =96 Development & Management Consultant, 
Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam, said the hotel would be =

managed under the Novotel brand name. 
However, until renovations are completed the property will continue with =

its original name. EXE Design will invest US$20 million for the 
construction of 150 additional rooms and a complete renovation of the =

hotel building. 
Thiripyitsaya Hotel is the third property in Myanmar managed by Accor =

Asia-Pacific after Novotel Mandalay and Sofitel Yangon. The group 
currently has five hotels operating in Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia 
By the end of this year, there will be around 5,000 hotel rooms in 
Myanmar. Myanmar's Tourism Ministry has set an ambitious annual visitor =

arrival target of 500,000 by 1997 which has been declared Visit Myanmar =

Year. 
However, promotions of the special year have met stiff resistance from =

international democracy groups which have been posting messages on the =

Internet asking travellers to boycott the destination. 

Designed, published and hosted by Cyberspace Asia Ltd.
=A9 1996, Orient Travel Press Ltd., All Rights Reserved 
http://www.siam.net/ttr/regional/u17rgmr4.htm
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