Mandalay tourism unaffected by riots

Data also showed that the recent violence that led to a month-long curfew in the city did not affect the tourism industry of the region as a whole, as visitor arrivals in the first seven months have already exceeded last year’s total.

“At first, we thought the curfew imposed last month would harm the tourism industry. But there was nothing like that. Foreigners keep flowing into Mandalay Region,” said Nyi Nyi Swe, head officer of the Directorate of Hotels and Tourism Department in the region.

The department’s data showed that since the curfew was lifted, tourist arrivals went up by 25 per cent compared to the same period last year. 

From January to July, the region drew 117,786 visitors, a 5 per cent increase from 111,938 recorded in the corresponding period last year. Throughout 2013, tourist arrivals reached 219,518, a 36 per cent increase from the previous year. 

Mandalay tourism officials are upbeat on the rest of the year. 

“Our plan is to host cultural shows to draw more tourists in the high tourism season,” Nyi Nyi Swe said, adding that the authorities are issuing more licences to ease shortages of hotel rooms and tour guides. 

The curfew was imposed on July 3, following riots that were sparked by a false rumour on the Internet that two Muslim men had raped a Buddhist woman. Buddhist mobs subsequently went on the rampage through Muslim quarters of the city. Two people were killed and at least 14 were injured.

The curfew was relaxed twice during the imposition, before it was lifted on August 11 after an outcry from tour guides and business operators in Mandalay City over a loss of business. 

Mandalay is the second most-visited destination in the country, after Yangon. 

A resident of Chanayethazan Township, in the city centre, recalled being unable to return home from an emergency trip because he lived in the curfew zone. By the time he got near, it was after 10pm. 

The curfew was also a major setback for bus and truck terminals, as well as shops that operate at night. 

The sectarian violence in Mandalay stoked fears internationally that the mob violence would no longer be contained to areas with large Muslim populations like Rakhine State. 

The Myanmar government has been urged to end communal violence by its development partners who warn that it could undermine its potential and prevent it from addressing its many structural problems.

“The serious crisis in Rakhine State and elsewhere, profound development challenges to raise the country’s standard of living, ethnic and religious violence that still exists, fundamental questions regarding constitutional reform, and of course the role of the military – all of these remain significant challenges of the road ahead,” US Secretary of State John Kerry said while on a visit to the country earlier this month.