Union Minister for Investment and Foreign Economic Relations U Thaung Tun and Union Minister for Hotels and Tourism U Ohn Maung travelled to Kawthoung, Taninthayi Region on 26 July to attend to matters relating to tourism and investment.

The Union Ministers were accompanied by Taninthayi Region Chief Minister U Myint Maung and cabinet members to the construction site for Marina Bay on Thahtay Island.

In the afternoon, the Union Ministers attended the Taninthayi Regional Tourism Committee’s meeting no. 2/2019 in Thahtay Island Hotel.

U Ohn Maung said the Myeik Archipelago has many beach and ocean based tourism and needs to swiftly implement sustainable tourism. He said we also need to conserve the natural environment and resources in the area. He advised construction of ecolodges that do not harm the environment.

U Thaung Tun delivered an address next where he highlighted that Myanmar is in the list of recommended countries to visit and the need for tourism to be eco-friendly. He said Marina Bay will house boats used in the travel season and garner additional income to the national economy.

The Union Minister said the pearl industry, travel sector and fishery sector all need to work in good correlation to each other. He said lessening entry visa restrictions has attracted more tourists into Myanmar. He added that remodelling airports to contain larger aircrafts will improve tourism as well. Next, Chief Minister U Myint Maung talked about how investors have increased their attention on islands along the coast, the increase in tourists to Kawthoung, the need to separate pearl, tourism and fishery sectors into different zones, ways to block illegal foreign entry with speedboats, encouraging CBT to boost the local economy and create more employment, and how extending licenses and applying for hotel constructions can now be completed within the region.

The meeting then discussed the implementation process of the decisions made at the previous meeting, approving the committee’s logo, approving the delegation roster to send to the Southern Tourism Corridor Cooperation in Can Tho, Viet Nam, and other matters. — Taninthayi Region IPRD (Translated by Zaw Htet Oo)