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1. Q. Money spent on a holiday
to Myanmar goes directly to the government
Definitely not! Any prospective visitor to Myanmar,
either as part of a group or as an individual,
has a choice where to stay, how to travel and
which local services to use. Nearly all Hotels,
Airlines, Travel Agents, Tour Operators, Restaurants,
Handicraft shops etc. are owned either by Myanmar
Nationals, Joint Venture Partnerships (i.e. Myanmar
National with foreign investor) or Foreign Investors.
The money spent on your holiday therefore goes
to local and foreign business owners as well as
local employees. Upon arrival, each tourist is
required to exchange the sum of USD 200. This
money can be spent in the local restaurants, handicraft
stores and other shops, or donated to monasteries
for the earning of merit and upkeep of the countries
cultural heritage.
2. Q. Tourism benefits only the elite
Tourism in Myanmar employs people from all walks
of life and many different social backgrounds.
Apart from employment, tourism enables young people
who would normally grow up helping their parents
on the land, learn new skills, and familiarise
themselves with global work practices. Some are
given the chance to travel abroad in order to
upgrade their skills, which they are able to pass
on to others upon their return. As more and more
remote destinations continue to open up, additional
employment and opportunities for learning, are
being spread to rural communities, resulting in
an increase in living standards.
3. Q. Tourism benefits only an insignificant
amount of people
The Myanmar Tourism and Hospitality sector is
the largest employer in the private sector. Furthermore,
many other local industries have benefited from
the knock-on effects of tourism dollars. In particular,
all over the country old crafts are being revived
due to the demand from tourists. Farmers in tourist
areas now have regular access to new and well-paying
markets for their produce. They and local craftsmen
learn the importance of quality control. They
learn about organic farming or not to overuse
chemicals. New breeds of fruits and vegetables
are available in the marketplace throughout the
whole year. With an increase in tourism numbers,
there is enormous potential for the tourism sector
and its associated benefits of meaningful employment
and education to grow. The Tourism Industry will
be one of the main driving forces behind economic
growth and progressive change within the country.
4. Q. Infrastructure projects associated with
tourism use forced labour
Hotel construction projects have never used
forced labour.In fact the building of hotels,
guesthouses and resorts in the tourist areas have
provided the transfer of new skills in the construction
industry, as well as revived the more traditional
skills of carpentry and furniture making. As the
tourism industry continues to expand throughout
the country, it has been able to successfully
promote and encourage continually higher standards
of safety and welfare for the workers involved
in new tourist facilities.
5. Q. Myanmar is not safe for tourists
Myanmar consistently ranks as one of the safest
tourist destinations in the world. According to
the UNDP's latest country assessment, the number
of reported crimes in Myanmar per 100,000 was
855, compared to 6220 in Zimbabwe, 6678 in France,
5367 in USA, and 12,671 in Sweden. For homicides
the figures per 100,000 were 1.8 in Myanmar, 9
in USA, 12 in Sweden, 16 in Zimbabwe, and 82 in
the Bahamas.
6. Q. The NLD are opposed to tourism.
During 1990 elections, and since the party was
formed in late 1988, the NLD was not opposed to
investment and tourism. This opposition came only
in 1995. The Myanmar people did not vote for sanctions,
consumer boycotts and continued isolation. In
contrast, many people want a better standard of
living and chances for advancement. Both inside
and outside the Tourism industry, the desire is
for responsible investment, increased opportunities,
and training. Consumer boycotts and anti tourism
campaigns have been in existence for many years
now. They have sought to drive away many potential
visitors and investors, thereby stifling growth
and putting at risk the livelihood of 100s of
thousands of the average Myanmar nationals. Myanmar
has been able to withstand isolation for over
35 years now. Sanctions and boycotts, which seek
to undermine the government by further prolonging
isolation, are very unlikely to create change,
and therefore will continue to fail in their primary
objective. They will however certainly slow down
economic development and adversely affect the
day to day lives of ordinary Myanmar people |
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