24 September

THE Yangon Regional Tour-ism  Committee  has  endorsed  hotels  and  guesthouse  projects  worth  K10.537  billion,  which  are  expected  to  create  252 jobs. The decision was taken during a meeting held yesterday at  the  Yangon  Region  government’s office. 

The regional tourism committee  has  granted  licenses  to  four hotels and one guesthouse, with room occupancy of 224. The ministry  has  also  issued  39  in-bound  tour  licences  and  one  hotel  construction  permit,  according to the committee.  

So far, the regional tourism committee  has  issued  licences  to 37 hotels and nine guesthouses,  and a temporary licence to one  hotel,  with  a  total  of  2,360  rooms.  Construction  permits  have been issued to 19 hotels and 3  guesthouses.  Meanwhile,  the  committee has issued licences to 315 inbound tours, 121 outbound tours, and 218 tour guides.  The total capital for hotels and guest-houses  is  estimated  at  K130.16  billion  and  US$238.29  million,  with foreign companies investing K5.94 billion and $25.22 million, joint ventures putting in $213.07 million, and domestic companies parking K124.22 billion into projects. The projects have helped create over 2,900 jobs.

Earlier,  the  hotels  and  tourism  sector  was  regulated by the Union government. Under the Myanmar Tourism Law 2018, the sector has been decentralized and more power given to the regional and state governments,  said  Naw  Pan  Thinzar Myo, the 

Yangon Region Minister for Kayin Ethnic Affairs  and  the  deputy  chair-man  of  the  regional  tourism  committee. Yangon Region Chief Min-ister U Phyo Min Thein is the chairman of the committee. 

The members of the committee  include  officials  from  the Ministry of Home Affairs, the  Ministry  of  Religious  Affairs and Culture, the Ministry of  Labour,  Immigration  and  Population,  the  Directorate  of  Hotels  and  Tourism,  the  Department  of  Environmental Conservation, the Yangon City Development Committee, the Union of Myanmar Travel Association, and Civil Society Organizations. 

(Translated  by  Ei  Myat  Mon)
By Nyein Nyein