Myanmar unveils $500m Tourism Plan

Myanmar unveiled a 500-million-dollar plan to improve its tourism industry on Wednesday. The plan outlines 38 development projects in tourism education and training, upgrading airports, river piers and road systems. It was devised by the government and the Asian Development Bank with financing from the Norwegian government. “The master plan outlines a path to welcoming more visitors to Myanmar without threatening our unique cultural heritage or endangering the pristine environment,” dpa quoted Htay Aung, minister for hotels and tourism as saying. The plan forecast that tourist arrivals would rise from about 1million last year to nearly 7.5 million by 2020, when the sector would earn the country an estimated 10.1 billion dollars and employ up to 1.4 million people. “Tourism will be a pillar of Myanmar’s economy,” Asian Development Bank Vice President Stephen Groff said.