Rise of Myanmar travel: Impact on Thai tourism?
Foreign hotel & airport investments leading the way to rising numbers of tourists. 50% jump in tourists during first half of 2012.
Foreign hotel & airport investments leading the way to rising numbers of tourists. 50% jump in tourists during first half of 2012.
Photos above and below of Yangon International Airport (Source: Wikipedia).
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BUSINESS
Thai tourism 'at risk' from Myanmar travel boom
9/07/2012
Soonya Vanichkorn & Chadamas Chinmaneevong
Travel agents yesterday warned the government that Myanmar's rapidly growing tourism sector could put Thailand's position as a major regional gateway at risk.
The comments came as Myanmar's tourism minister U Htay Aung told the Sasin Bangkok Forum yesterday that his country was ramping up its tourism infrastructure to cope with a sharp rise in the number of visitors.
He conceded that the Myanmar tourism industry was still in its infancy, but pointed to rapidly increasing visitor numbers.
Between January and June of this year, the number of foreigners flying in to Yangon and Mandalay airports was 50% higher than the same period in 2011, U Htay Aung said.
Market analysts believe Myanmar has strong potential to establish itself as a prime tourism destination in Southeast Asia following democratic reforms.
U Htay Aung said infrastructure development is key to achieving this goal.
He said his country has drawn up a tourism master plan which has received backing for its efforts from the Norwegian government.
Plans are afoot for a new international airport, 15km from Yangon, to be constructed over the next few years.
He said investors in hotel and tourism infrastructure are expected to flock to Myanmar in the near future.
With the rising number of tourists, businessmen and international visitors, Myanmar now has a severe shortage of hotel rooms, he said.
The lack of prior tourism infrastructure development in Myanmar was partially because of sanctions by Western countries, U Htay Aung said, while political and security issues were also obstacles.
Communicable diseases and natural disasters had also kept tourists to Myanmar at bay, he said.
Some foreign hotels and investors had left the country because of sanctions in the past, he said.
"With the commitment to progressive reforms by the government that came to power through a general election in 2011, including national reconciliation and restructuring of the economy, the tourism sector will be revived," he said.
The Shangri-La Group is constructing a 240-room hotel, while the Accor Group and India's Oberoi are also interested in investing in Myanmar, U Htay Aung said.
There are about 25,000 hotels and guesthouses across Myanmar.
U Htay Aung said foreigners are allowed a 100% investment in hotels and restaurants, but investors cannot obtain land ownership and businesses must operate on a 45-year land lease period.
He said new investment regulations were being considered. Myanmar President Thein Sein recently approved a five-year short-term development plan from fiscal year 2011 to 2015 that aims for average gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 7.7% and for a three-fold increase in per-capita GDP.
Charoen Wangananont, secretary-general of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, said the government must adopt a constructive strategy to enjoy mutual benefits from Myanmar's development.
He said inconsistent policies made Thailand vulnerable to losing tourists to other countries in the region.
(Source: Bangkok Post, BUSINESS, Thai tourism 'at risk' from Myanmar travel boom, 9/07/2012, Soonya Vanichkorn & Chadamas Chinmaneevong, link)
Travel Industry Vocabulary
travel - people going places either to relax or for business (See Wikipedia)
travel agents - people who help tourists plan their trip and get hotel rooms, air flights and other transportation (See Wikipedia)
travel industry - all the businesses in a country related to travel
boom - a sudden big increase in some activity
travel boom
risk - the possibility that something dangerous or unpleasant might happen ความเสี่ยง
at risk - in a dangerous situation that might result in harm or damage
put at risk - put in a dangerous situation
Thai tourism 'at risk' from Myanmar travel boom
sector - a part of a country's economy or business activity ภาคเศรษฐกิจของประเทศ (public sector = government, private sector = all businesses, household sector = families and consumers, banking sector,...) (See Wikipedia)
tourism sector
regional gateway - the country or city that a person flies into first to visit other places in a region
major regional gateway
Travel agents yesterday warned the government that Myanmar's rapidly growing tourism sector could put Thailand's position as a major regional gateway at risk.
ramp up - increase; increase activity in some area
infrastructure - basic systems and services such as transportation, electricity, and water that are necessary for a country to run smoothly (water, roads, electricity, trains) สาธารณูปโภค
tourism infrastructure - things like airports, bus stations that all tourists use
cope with - to deal successfully with a difficult situation รับมือกับ (See glossary)
sharp - strong ที่รุนแรง
sharp rise - a very fast and sudden rise by a large amount
The comments came as Myanmar's tourism minister U Htay Aung told the Sasin Bangkok Forum yesterday that his country was ramping up its tourism infrastructure to cope with a sharp rise in the number of visitors.
infant - a baby
infancy - the time of life when a person is a baby
still in its infancy - when something has only started to grow and develop (example: the tourism industry is still in its infance in Myanmar)
conceded that - admitted unwillingly that something is true ยอมรับ
pointed to - to show people something
He conceded that the Myanmar tourism industry was still in its infancy, but pointed to rapidly increasing visitor numbers. Between January and June of this year, the number of foreigners flying in to Yangon and Mandalay airports was 50% higher than the same period in 2011, U Htay Aung said.
potential - the possibility of success ที่มีศักยภาพ ที่เป็นไปได้
strong potential
establish - to start a company or organization that will likely continue for a long time สถาปนา, ก่อตั้ง, จัดตั้ง
establish itself as
prime - of the best quality ที่ดีที่สุด main or most important ที่สำคัญที่สุด
destination - the place where a passenger or goods are going จุดหมายปลายทาง
prime tourism destination
reforms - improvements; improvements in the way that government works
democratic reforms
progressive - changes that make progress in some area (moving forward, advancing and improving something)
progressive reforms
Market analysts believe Myanmar has strong potential to establish itself as a prime tourism destination in Southeast Asia following democratic reforms.
development - the gradual growth and formation of something
infrastructure development
key - important คนสำคัญ
X is key to Y - X is important for Y
U Htay Aung said infrastructure development is key to achieving this goal.
draw up - create or write a document (for the first time)
master plan - the highest level plan for an area
tourism master plan
backing - support, help ให้การสนับสนุน
efforts - the work done towards achieving some goal; people trying to accomplish something, achieve a goal ความพยายาม
international - ระหว่างประเทศ between countries
international airport - an airport at which flights from other countries can land
afoot - happening now; currently happening
plans are afoot for - plans are currently being made for
He said his country has drawn up a tourism master plan which has received backing for its efforts from the Norwegian government. Plans are afoot for a new international airport, 15km from Yangon, to be constructed over the next few years.
expected - believe will happen คาดว่า (จะเกิดขึ้น)
flock to - to go somewhere in large numbers; to gather together in large numbers แห่กันไป when a large number of people go to a place because it is interesting or pleasant
severe - very serious and worrying ที่รุนแรง ที่น่าเป็นห่วง
shortage - when there is not enough of something การขาดแคลน
severe shortage
He said investors in hotel and tourism infrastructure are expected to flock to Myanmar in the near future. With the rising number of tourists, businessmen and international visitors, Myanmar now has a severe shortage of hotel rooms, he said.
lack of - does not have ขาดแคลน
partially - partly; not completely
sanctions - punishment for countries that have broken international law (restricting trade and official contact)
security - the need to provide safety from attack, harm or damage ความปลอดภัย
issues - an important subect that people are discussing and debating about; subjects that need to be considered ประเด็น
security issues
obstacles - things that makes it difficult to go somewhere or do something; problems that prevent goals from being achieved อุปสรรค
The lack of prior tourism infrastructure development in Myanmar was partially because of sanctions by Western countries, U Htay Aung said, while political and security issues were also obstacles.
communicable diseases - diseases that can pass from one person to another person
natural disasters - events in nature that cause a lot of damage like large storm, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, etc
natural - found in nature (not made in a factory by humans) ตามธรรมชาติ
Communicable diseases and natural disasters had also kept tourists to Myanmar at bay, he said. Some foreign hotels and investors had left the country because of sanctions in the past, he said.
commitment - a promise to continue doing something การใ้ห้คำมั่น ข้อผูกมัด, ข้อสัญญา, ความรับผิดชอบ การมอบความไว้วางใจ
commitment to progressive reforms
government that came to power
election - the process of choosing a person or a group of person for a position, especially by voting elect (v) electoral (adj) synonym: the polls การเลือกตั้ง
general election
reconciliation - a new and friendly relationship with someone who you argued with or fought with การทำให้ปรองดองกันอีก,การคืนดี, ประสานสัมพันธ์
national reconciliation
"With the commitment to progressive reforms by the government that came to power through a general election in 2011, including national reconciliation and restructuring of the economy, the tourism sector will be revived," he said. The Shangri-La Group is constructing a 240-room hotel, while the Accor Group and India's Oberoi are also interested in investing in Myanmar, U Htay Aung said. There are about 25,000 hotels and guesthouses across Myanmar.
investment - taking your money and putting it into projects to make a profit or earn interest (buying stock shares, bonds, real estate)
lease - a legal agreement in which you pay money in order to use a building, piece of land, vehicle, etc. for a period of time สัญญาเช่า
land lease
land lease period
U Htay Aung said foreigners are allowed a 100% investment in hotels and restaurants, but investors cannot obtain land ownership and businesses must operate on a 45-year land lease period.
regulations - rules made by the government to control how some activity is done กฎระเบียบ ระเบียบปฏิบัติ ระเบียบ ข้อบังคับ
fiscal - related to government spending; connected with the government budget, i.e., public money เกี่ยวกับงบประมาณ
fiscal year - the calendar year for government spending (not the same as usual calendar year)
gross domestic product (GDP) - the total value of all the goods and services produced by a country in one year
domestic - within the country ภายในประเทศ
three-fold increase - increasing to three times as much (example: there was a three-fold increase in the value of the investment from $100 to $300)
per-capita - per person, per head (the average for each person in a country or area)
per-capita GDP
He said new investment regulations were being considered. Myanmar President Thein Sein recently approved a five-year short-term development plan from fiscal year 2011 to 2015 that aims for average gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 7.7% and for a three-fold increase in per-capita GDP.
strategy - a plan to achieve long term goals ('strategy' gives the big picture, 'tactics' the details)
adopt - to accept or to start using something new นำมาใช้
adopt a constructive strategy
mutual - between two or more people ร่วมกัน
benefits - goods things that can happen from anm activity ผลประโยชน์
mutual benefits - when many people or organizations doing some activity all get good things from it
enjoy mutual benefits - receive mutual benefits
Charoen Wangananont, secretary-general of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, said the government must adopt a constructive strategy to enjoy mutual benefits from Myanmar's development.
inconsistent - do not go together, do not work together (they achieve different conflicting goals that do not go together)
inconsistent policies
vulnerable - easily damaged or harmed ซึ่งถูกทำลายได้ง่าย
made vulnerable to losing tourists
He said inconsistent policies made Thailand vulnerable to losing tourists to other countries in the region.
