Better infrastructure will make Myanmar a tourism leader
Myanmar has the elements to become Asia's hottest tourist destination but this cannot be achieved without better infrastructure, delegates to the first civil aviation development conference held in the country were told on Monday.
The Department of Civil Aviation is hosting the three-day conference (March 24-26), which is being held at Traders Hotel.
“Hosting the conference in Myanmar is ideal, given the growth opportunities and potential of the country’s aviation market due to the growing demand for air travel,” Tin Naing Tun, director general at the Department of Civil Aviation, said at the conference.
During a press conference, the official emphasised the importance of infrastructure in the aviation industry and called for more cooperation with other Asean countries.
“We need to have more and more infrastructure for the airports, airlines, and human resources for the development of our aviation industry. In this context, we need to collaborate with other countries, including the Asean member states,” said Tin Naing Tun.
His comments were echoed by Sulaiman Zainul Abidin, chief operating officer at Pioneer Aerodrome Services, the airport operator for Yangon and Nay Pyi Taw airports.
“In recent years, Myanmar has experienced positive interest with regard to inbound tourism and also from business communities. In aviation terms, a 26.5 per cent increase in international arrivals signals a significant surge in passenger movement. With the demand for air travel expected to grow, there is an urgent need for airports to increase capacity and upgrade current infrastructure,” said Sulaiman.
The event, organised by Sphere Conferences, part of Singapore Press Holdings Limited, has attracted more than 250 airport operators, regulators, senior airline executives and key aviation stakeholders from across 20 countries.
Chua Wee Phong, chairperson of Sphere Conferences, said that Myanmar’s booming aviation industry signals a strong demand for expertise and opportunities for investment from around the world.
“The event offers networking opportunities with civil aviation authorities and senior level aviation stakeholders, engaging panel discussions, and successful case studies for aviation leaders to exchange ideas and collaborate in achieving greater success,” said Chua Wee Phong.
Si Thu, managing director of Myanmar Airways International, sees the airline industry as a dynamic business with a lot of future potential.
“Thanks to Asean economic integration, the free flow of goods and information, as well as the free movement of people, will be well in place. All these initiatives are people-oriented. The open skies policy and the single aviation market will become a reality. This, in fact, is a driving factor for the development of our country,” Si Thu said during a conference panel discussion.
During an exclusive interview with Myanmar Eleven, Patee Sarasin, chief executive officer at Nok Air, said that Myanmar has become a key destination for most foreign airlines.
“Myanmar is a very popular place at the moment for everyone to come and invest. This has become a challenge for our airline, which is still at the primary stage,” he said, insisting that Myanmar is definitely a country to invest in right now.
