THE Loi ethnic group’s Hoyan village, located in Kengtung Township, Shan State (East), is being developed as the third community-based tourism (CBT) village, according to an official from the Directorate of Hotels and Tourism (Kengtung).

Hoyan village, where the Loi ethnic people reside is locat­ed about 40 miles from Kengtung. Currently, the village is being es­tablished as a CBT des­tination with the comple­tion expected by the end of March.

An official said, “We are setting up the third CBT-based tourism vil­lage in Kengtung Town­ship named Hoyan. We are constructing five tra­ditional Loi-style houses where visitors can stay overnight. The construc­tion will be completed by the end of March.”

The first CBT vil­lage in Kengtung Town­ship was established as four Hokyin villages where the Arkha ethnic people reside. The sec­ond CBT village is being developed in Penseng village where Wa ethnic people live.

Kengtung is a des­tination where visitors can explore ancient his­torical buildings belong­ing to the Shan ethnics. The area is known for being a region where different ethnic groups including Arkha, Wa, Lahu, Loi and Shan coexist in harmony. — ASH/KZL