Significant tourism products and services must be promoted through the digital platform, said Chairman of the National Tourism Development Central Committee Vice-Chairman of the State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win at the meeting 2/2022 of the central committee at the Jade Hall of the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday afternoon.
In his speech, the Vice-Senior General said that all global countries are striving for the resurgence of the tourism industry because businesses faced unprecedented losses triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic.
As Myanmar experiences less than one per cent of infection from the pandemic for 20 successive days, all are to strive for gaining development momentum in the tourism industry keeping in line with the Covid-19 protocols.
The Vice-Senior General noted that the World Tourism Organization showed tourism industry contributes to the global economy and creates more than 320 million employments throughout the world, accounting for 10 per cent of the world GDP. Moreover, the organization recognized the tourism industry to contribute much to the growth of micro, small and medium-scale enterprises.
Currently, the Vice-Senior General underscored that more than 200 countries including Myanmar resumed operations of the tourism industry. As such, some 700 million international tourists visited the global countries from January to September 2022, increasing 133 per cent more than that of the same period last year. As a result, the economic growth reached 65 per cent of growth against the progress in 2019.
All stakeholders need to participate in the long-term development of the tourism industry and environmental conservation as well as implement barrier-free tourism in all regions and states.
The Vice-Senior General urged authorities of regions and states to hold necessary technical knowledge awareness and training courses, workshops and shows for manufacturing tourism-related goods such as foodstuffs and souvenirs using domestic raw materials so as to attract businesspersons.
As the majority of MSMEs face challenges of capital, technologies, infrastructures, skilled labour and market share, authorities and hotels and tourism agents have to support the improvement of MSME industries.
All stakeholders need to participate in the long-term development of the tourism industry and environmental conservation as well as implement barrier-free tourism in all regions and states.
The Vice-Senior General pointed out that new ideas and ways must be sought for the implementation of some sorts of tourism such as agri-based tourism, farming-based tourism and educational tourism in the country whereas tourism towns and villages must be shaped in regions and states.
The Vice-Senior General urged authorities to initially designate the friendly countries and neighbouring countries as the tourism market of Myanmar. Significant tourism products and services must be promoted through the digital platform. It is necessary to provide smooth and secure travel for local and foreign tourists for booming all kinds of tourism services.
Vice-Chairman of the Central Committee Union Minister for Hotels and Tourism Dr Htay Aung reported on tourism measures. The director general of the Directorate of Hotels and Tourism, who is in the capacity of joint secretary of the central committee, sought approvals for the accomplishment of the decisions from the meeting 1/2022 and amendment of formation for tourism work committee and regional tourism work committees.
Union ministers, chief ministers, private tourism organizations and experts discussed the development of the tourism industry.
Before concluding the meeting, the Vice-Senior General coordinated the discussions and reports. —MNA
