11 July
The number of tourists arriving in Myanmar on a visa rose by 227,415, or 33 per cent, between January and June compared to the year-ago period, according to figures released recently by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population.
Between 1 January 2019 and 30 June, 2019, 909,515 tourists entered Myanmar on a visa through the three international airports, sea ports, and border checkpoints, as per data from the Ministry.
The number of tourists entering Myanmar using border passes also increased by 19 per cent in January-June compared with the same period a year ago, with estimated arrivals of over 1.2 million.
Myanmar has hosted a total of 2.14 million tourists up till June this year, while during the same period last year, tourist arrivals were registered at 1.72 million. Tourists entered the country through the three international airports — the Yangon International Airport, Mandalay International Airport, and Nay Pyi Taw International Airport, and the Tachilek, Myawady, Kawthoung, Hteekhee, Tamu, and Reedhorda checkpoints.
Package tours, caravan tours, yacht tours, and riverine tours along the Ayeyawady and Chindwin rivers, and cruises and chartered flights require permission from the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, which are normally sought through local tour agencies.
Tourist arrivals from the US alone increased in January-June, while the number of visitors from Canada and the Americas and Oceania declined.
While there was an increase in Italian, Austrian, and Spanish travellers, the number of tourists from other European countries registered a fall this year compared to the year-ago period. Meanwhile, the number of visitors from Asia, Middle East, and Africa increased. Among the Asian countries, a large number of tourists from China, South Korea, Japan, India, and China (Taipei) visited Myanmar this year.
Under an ongoing yearlong trial (1 October, 2018 to 30 September, 2019), ordinary passport holders from Japan, South Korea, Macau, and Hong Kong are not required to apply for a tourist visa for visits of up to 30 days, and they can enter and depart from all international checkpoints.
The number of tourists from those countries rose remarkably this year compared with the year-ago period. Starting 1 October, Italian, Spanish, Australian, Swiss, German, and Russian tourists with ordinary passports will be granted visas on arrival. Next, Myanmar will grant passport holders from 100 countries and China (Taipei) eVisas for tourist purposes, and businessmen from 54 countries and China (Taipei) eVisas for business. More details are available on www.evisa.moip. gov.mm.— GNLM (Translated by Ei Myat Mon)
