Obama visit may spark Myanmar tourism boom
This Monday, President Barack Obama became the first sitting US president to visit Myanmar (formerly Burma) in a state visit that he hopes will support the country’s burgeoning democracy.
President Obama visited President Thein Sein and Aung San Suu Kyi, the opposition leader who spent much of the past 20 years under house arrest for her pro-democratic activities.
Along with promises of funds (The New York Times reports a figure of $170 million promised to projects over the next two years), the president vowed to help rebuild Myanmar’s economy.
USA Today reports that Myanmar officials boast that tourist arrivals rose by 20% in 2011, citing the Myanmar Times as the source of the statistics.
Kyi Kyi Aye, a consultant who works with the Myanmar Tourism Board, told the Associated Press that the country needs more hotels, especially large chain hotels as tourism is booming and the country does not have enough premium hotel rooms to supply the growing demand.
Massimo Prioreschi, vice president of sales and marketing for the bike and walking tour company, Backroads told TravelMole that they had a barrage of calls this week for both their Myanmar biking and walking tours running from January through March 2013.
He said that January Myanmar departures were already sold out.
Gretchen Kelly
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