In this year's tour season, travelling reached its highest during Thingyan, and the tourism sector has improved more than last year, according to the Myanmar Tourism Entrepreneurs Association.
There is a likelihood that the travel industry will be booming this year compared to last year, and it reached its highest during Thingyan, said the association Chair U Naung Naung Han.
"When we looked back to this year's tour season, which begins from 2023's open season, October to this year's Thingyan, we had a good start, and a slight decline in around November and December but continuously increased back as from December new year festive period. It reached the highest level in Thingyan, especially. Tour companies can sell tour packages. So we can say, throughout the tour season, the travel sector reached its highest in Thingyan," said U Naung Naung Han.
In this year's Thingyan, people flocked to Chaungtha Beach and Ngwehsaung Beach, and hotels could provide rooms only for those who reserved them. People who couldn't find rooms at the two famous beaches went to newly developed beaches, and some people took pilgrimage tours.
"Travelling quite escalated in Thingyan holidays. Some other destinations are limited in the current situation, so most people visit Chaungtha, Ngwehsaung, and other beaches, as well as Bagan, Mandalay, Inlay, and Kalaw, where they can go on pilgrimage. But it is assumed that the visitor arrival was greater than last year," he said.
"Many people flocked to Ngwehsaung and Chaungtha in Thingyan, but rooms were available only to those who reserved, so people who didn't get rooms took day trips to new beaches. We could also explore new destinations that are safe for travel in the current situation," he added.
However, the country's tourism sector has yet to regain the state it was before COVID-19, but it seems to have improved again after COVID-19, he said. — MT/ZS