Amid the COVID-19 control activities, domestic travel services are back in operation almost as usual in Myanmar, particularly during the Thingyan holidays in April. It is learnt that the number of tourists who are travelling with their own itinerary is increasing.
“At present, there are only office staff who have to travel for work,” said Ma Ni Ni Maw, a ticket seller of a Yangon-Mandalay express. She added that returnees before the Thingyan period and pilgrims are more likely to travel on their own as a group than by a group service vehicle. Due to fewer travellers before the Thingyan period, passenger buses had to rely on goods every day.
Due to COVID-19 preventive measures, only about 12 passengers are allowed in a Yangon-Mandalay VIP bus, which cannot even cover the fuel expense, Ko Win Tun, a Yangon-Mandalay passenger bus driver, told GNLM.
As passenger buses have to rely on the goods, it costs a lot to freight forwarders, according to an online clothes seller, Ko Arkar Oo. He also added that a minimum of K3,000 need to be paid for the shipping fees, depending on the weight of the goods, there are various prices.
During the Thingyan period, ticket fees were about K35,000, and they reduced to K25,000 after the period. In April, Rakhine State, Chaungtha Beach, Ngapali Beach, Bagan, Taunggyi, and Inlay were the most crowded areas, with 16,000 local/international tourists in Rakhine State and 15,000 tourists per day in Bagan, according to the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism. — TWA/GNLM
