MoHT Union Minister attends seminar on sustainable tourism in post-pandemic cultural heritage sites

Union Minister for Hotels and Tourism, Dr Thet Thet Khine attended the opening ceremony of the “Seminar on Making Tourism More Sustainable in Cultural Heritage Destinations in the Post-Pandemic Era,” held at the Golden Palace Hotel in Bagan yesterday morning.
Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Ms Ma Jia, the director-general of the Directorate of Hotels and Tourism, officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and delegations from Mekong-Lancang Cooperation member countries — China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand — attended the ceremony.
The Union minister announced that the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Special Fund had approved three projects to support tourism development. These projects aim to promote regional cooperation in preserving cultural and world heritage sites, sharing best practices for sustainable tourism, and developing effective tourism strategies. The Union minister also emphasized the importance of such discussions in light of the challenges faced by the tourism industry during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Experts from the Mekong-Lancang countries shared their insights on sustainable tourism development for regional cultural heritage sites during the discussion. They also discussed best practices and addressed key challenges in promoting these destinations by dividing the issues into three parts.
After the seminar, Union Minister Dr Thet Thet Khine met Ambassador Ms Ma Jia at the Golden Palace Hotel in Bagan. The meeting focused on bilateral tourism cooperation between Myanmar and China, as well as strategies for promoting tourism in the region. Participants from the Mekong-Lancang countries engaged in friendly discussions about the potential for establishing sister-city relationships between ancient cultural heritage cities like Bagan in Myanmar.
The Union minister also visited the ministry’s hotels and inspected the Tuyin Villa Eco Farm Resort. In the evening, representatives from Myanmar, Thailand, China, Cambodia, and Laos attended a dinner hosted by the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism. During the dinner, speeches were given, and guests enjoyed performances by Myanmar traditional dance troupes.
Additionally, the Union minister inspected the activities of the Bagan Plastic Campaign group, which collects garbage around the area of Thiripyitsaya Hotel and Manuha Pagoda. This group conducts weekly garbage collection campaigns on Saturday mornings, with participation from departmental staff, hotel staff, tour guides, and representatives from the tourism industry and related associations in Bagan. — MNA/TRKM