Myanmar received 11 percent fewer tourists this year up to October than it did during the same period last year, according to the Union of Myanmar Travel Association (UMTA). Leaders in the tourism industry attribute the slump to potential tourists’ feelings about the Rohingya refugee crisis.
“Ninety percent of booked trips have been cancelled in Mrauk U and Ngapali because of wrong information about the Rakhine conflict issue, which has occurred over the last few months,” UMTA chairperson Thet Lwin Toe told the Global New Light of Myanmar.
He said the cancellations are the result of the “impact of the negative media,” which could be reversed through a counterbalancing media effort.
However, Thet Lwin Toe said, cancellations have been rare in other parts of the country, especially Yangon, Bagan, and Mandalay.
Aung Tun Lin, chairperson of the Myanmar Tourist Guides Association (MTGA), said tourists from some parts of the world have been more sensitive to the refugee crisis than others.
“Concerning the Rakhine issue, tourists from Italy, France, Spain, and Asian countries are visiting Myanmar regularly, but the tourists from America and England have cancelled their bookings,” he said.
Tourists from Thailand, China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Vietnam made up the majority of foreign tourists who visited Myanmar in 2017.
“Our guides take the time and try to explain the Rakhine issue to tourists who misunderstand. All tourists are interested in the Rakhine issue, and we feel bad about it because most of them misunderstand it,” Aung Tun Lin said.
In addition to the refugee crisis, Aung Tun Lin said other obstacles to the development of Myanmar’s tourism sector are the result from a lack of awareness from local people who could benefit from tourism. For example, he mentioned villagers around Inle Lake who have covered their homes with beer advertisement posters, which several tourists found unattractive.
He also said tourism could be boosted by removing camera and toilet fees imposed on foreign tourists.
The Ministry of Hotel and Tourism has set a target of three million tourists this fiscal year. As of October, only 2.5 million have come.
