Visitors take photos of the temples in Bagan
Myanmar experienced a sharp rise in visitor arrivals in the first half of 2017.
According to data from the Myanmar Tourism Federation (MTF), arrivals at the country’s three main international airports – Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw – increased 10% to 562,848 visitors.
Thailand was Myanmar’s largest source market in the six-month period, with approximately 110,000 visitors accounting for almost 20% of the total. Mainland China was second with 70,000, while other major source markets registering increased visitor numbers included Singapore, France, Germany, Switzerland and India.
The MTF noted that the figures do not include travellers who enter the country through overland border checkpoints, suggesting that the overall inbound figure could be significantly higher.
Despite recent growth however, Myanmar’s tourism arrivals remain the second lowest in the ASEAN region, with only Brunei welcoming fewer visitors.
