TOURIST arrivals from neighbouring countries and the West were decent until the earthquake, with expectations of improvement in the 2026 travel season, according to the Union of Myanmar Travel Association (UMTA).
Inbound tourism remained moderate from 2022 to the pre-earthquake period of 2025, with some travellers from the US, Spain, Portugal, India, China, Thailand, and Russia also visiting, said UMTA vice-president Dr Thet Lwin Toe.
"Tourism is booming right now. As of 2020, arrivals declined, but after visas were reopened in 2022, inbound tourism recovered reasonably well. The numbers weren't bad in 2022, 2023 and 2024, with tourists coming from the US, Spain, Portugal, India, China, Thailand, and Russia. But after the earthquake, arrivals dropped. The next target is the Western market. According to the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, Americans lead among Western visitors. I hope the tourism season of 2026 will be better", he said.
Rising costs for foreign tourists were noted, and addressing these issues could improve the situation.
"Visas are free to some extent, but a visa-on-arrival would be more beneficial. Airfares are expensive; for example, while a Myanmar citizen pays K300,000 for a flight to Mandalay, a foreigner has to pay K600,000. A foreign tourist has to pay K1 million to Bangkok, and if he continues to Myanmar, his cost becomes double. Such different pricing for locals and foreigners isn't seen in Thailand, Japan or India. The policy needs to change for better tourism growth," he added.
Both inbound and outbound tourism saw significant growth until the 2025 tour season, driven by businesses, pilgrimage and other purposes. — MT/ZN
