Country braces for tourist boom with 48 new hotels in 3 months

Last year, there were 923 hotels and more than 30,000 rooms opened while in 2012 there were 787 hotel launches. 

Despite the increase in accommodation, some regions have been unable to accommodate increasing numbers of visitors.

Many tourists are interested in visiting remote parts of Chin, Kachin, Kayah and Shan States which used to be out of bounds – but many of these areas lack appropriate accommodation.  

“In Chin State … tourists mostly visit to Natmataung in southern part,” tour guide Ye Htet said.

“We usually send tourists to northern parts such as Teedin and Harkhar townships but there are fewer hotels there. Even if there are hotels, the hotels don’t meet international standards. We saw bungalows being constructed near Reed Lake (and) now that transportation is better, tourists may increase in the future,” he said. 

At present, there are two hotels in Kalay, Chin State, 52 hotels in Nay Pyi Taw, 244 in Yangon, 114 in Mandalay, 77 in Bagan, Nyaung Oo and 75 in Taunggyii-Inlay, according to the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism.