Skift Take

It's boomtime in Burma, and while a huge boost to the just-opening local economy, it will have to ensure it doesn't become the next seedy Thailand.

Burma (or Myanmar) will cross 1 million international tourist arrivals this year, according to its Ministry of Hotels and Tourism. There were over 800,000 arrivals in 2011, up 1.27% from over 790,000 in 2010.

Most of the international visits are related to business as investors flock to the commercial capital…but it gives country a valuable boost in tourism related revenue. “Yangon International Airport has been receiving an average of 2,300 visitors daily,” the minister added.

The latest statistics show that 448 hotels and guesthouses offer 19,014 rooms in major tourist destinations including the capital, Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan, Taunggyi and Inle Lake.

Mizzima: Arrivals at Rangoon Airport were up 50 percent from January to October this year, with some 21 international airlines now registered to fly into Burma, including airlines from Japan, South Korea, China, Germany and the Middle East…According to global aviation bureau, OAG, Burma has seen an increase of 21 percent in international departures in the year 2012 with the total number of available seats now standing at 1,444,994.

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