FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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E-visa to be introduced in September

E-visa to be introduced in September

The Hotels and Tourism Ministry is planning to launch the electronic visa programme in September, to better serve the growing number of visitors.

Tourism Minister Htay Aung announced the plan at an event where the third phase of the government’s tourism development policies was discussed.
Under the Myanmar Tourism Master Plan (2013-2020), 38 development projects will be implemented with the combined budget of US$486 million. The country aims to draw 3.1 million visitor arrivals in 2015 and more than 7 million in 2020, under the master plan. 
As the manufacturing sector remains weak, the tourism industry has been a major contributor of revenue to the country. It employs more than 1 million jobs and the employment rate increased 93 per cent on year in 2013, in line with the opening of more hotels. At the end of July, the country had 1,019 hotels. 
Tourism receipts advanced to $926 million in 2013, from $534 million in 2012. The ministry expects the figures to exceed the $1 billion threshold this year.
Htay Aung said that thanks to the reopening of the country’s economy, the tourism industry has benefited a large number of people. He estimated that 85 per cent of tourism income goes directly to workers and other individual citizens.   
 
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