Myanmar marine tourism gaining luxury reputation
Myanmar marine tourism gaining luxury reputation
The Mergui archipelago is making itself known as a new hot destination
Myanmar’s Mergui archipelago is gaining favour among luxury travelers in the international marketplace, according to a new report from C9 Hotelworks.
The region only became accessible to tourists in 1997, at which time the primary tourist target was the diving and sport fishing industry, however, with surging demand from the upscale market segment, 12 approved projects are now under development with more applications pending review.
“We forecast that the Mergui is poised to come onto a broader tourism landscape in the next 24 months,” says Bill Barnet, Managing Director of C9 Hotelworks.
There are currently two hotels operating in the archipelago, including the Grand Andaman Resort on Tha Htay Kyun Island and Myanmar Andaman Resort on Macleod Island. The towns of Kawthaung and Myeik also have alternative accommodations for tourists on day trips to Mergui.
More: Myanmar has a new five-star hotel, courtesy of Vietnam
Approved developments in the region amount to USD59 million in investment, but there currently no confirmed hotel numbers have been announced as the islands’ leasehold tenure has only been granted recently.
The development of a casino, golf course, and marine recreation center are pending approval from the Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC).
The Mergui Archipelago can only be accessed via marine transport. Phuket is the primary gateway, with 13 licensed yacht operators running from here. 20 out of the 21 yacht operators are in Thailand.
Visiting Myanmar will now be easier for tourists, with a new eVisa available from 1 September 2016.
Read next: Crackdown on Airbnb style holiday rentals in Phuket
Source: Property Report