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Banyan Tree and Htoo join hands to boost hospitality landscape in Myanmar
Banyan Tree Holdings (through its wholly-owned subsidiary Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts) and Myanmar Treasure Hotel & Resort Group Company (better known as Htoo Hospitality) announced the signing of a joint venture (JV) agreement for the formation of a hotel management business in Myanmar. Launched in 2002 and built upon authentic Burmese culture and traditions, Htoo Hospitality owns and manages the largest collection of 15 hotels located across eight states and 11 destinations in Myanmar. The JV shall initially be responsible for the management of the 17 hotels and resorts (15 existing properties and two in the pipeline) owned by Htoo Hospitality. These include the iconic brands Aureum Palace Hotels & Resorts (located at Bagan, Ngapali and Inle Lake), Myanmar Treasure Resorts and Malikha Lodge as well as projects under development such as Kandawygi Palace Hotel in Yangon and a new destination resort in the Mergui Archipelago. Some of these properties will gradually be rebranded into either a jointly-developed new brand for the Myanmar market or a brand within Banyan Tree Holding’s brand portfolio. Under a long-term partnership, the JV envisions to become the top hotel management company in Myanmar, overseeing and managing hotels owned by third parties. With the anticipated tourism boom in Myanmar, there will be strong demand for quality local hospitality talents. Ho Kwon Ping, executive chairman of Banyan Tree Holdings, said: “As a leading independent global hospitality company, we identified growth opportunities in Myanmar’s hotel management sector. With this head-start coupled with our hotel management expertise, we are mindful that this joint venture will open further opportunities for our group to enter key strategic sectors in this fast-flourishing country.” U Tay Za, chairman of Htoo Group of Companies said: “By combining our hotel assets, some of the most beautiful properties in Myanmar, and Banyan Tree’s unmatched hotel management know-how, this strategic alliance will drive Myanmar hospitality to a whole new level and bring positive synergies and value to both partners, our employees and environment.”
Meet the restaurants that are embracing a culture of local sourcing
Sourcing local is not simply a trend, but rather has become a key component of many restaurants’ endeavours to ensure fresh and tasty ingredients, promote environmental sustainability, and most importantly support local businesses. Indeed, some of the greatest chefs around the world are now deeply involved in this locally-sourced philosophy, taking responsibility for their ecological footprint and making big strides in introducing more sustainable practices into their restaurants. Chef de Cuisine Xavier Fauvel The outlets at The Strand Yangon, Babett Eatery & Bar in Yangon, and Scarlett Restaurant and Wine Bar in Bangkok, all part of the GCP Hospitality portfolio, are examples of outlets that are paving the way towards more local sourcing. To achieve this, a lot of time and effort is placed in establishing tangible connections with farmers and artisans, allowing the teams to be able to trace where their ingredients come from. The result? Unique menus that shine a spotlight on quality local ingredients and showcase the ability to create bold and flavorful culinary dishes using authentic fresh produce. In Yangon, The Strand Hotel and Babett Eatery & Bar both celebrate the bounty of farm and sea from all around Myanmar. Taking pride in using seasonal ingredients, the two venues present menus that are a tribute to the beautiful local produce, fused with European influence and techniques. "I want the ingredients to speak for themselves" Highlighted in the month of February, The Strand Restaurant launched its new menu that pays homage to the organic products grown by artisans around the country. Chef de Cuisine Xavier Fauvel explains “I am currently living in Myanmar, so it is important to me to work and support the country through using local produce. When it comes to preparing a dish, I want the ingredients to speak for themselves, which has driven my team and I towards working closer with local communities.” In Chef Xavier’s quest to create this new menu, he took several months to build strong relationships in order to find quality local ingredients. In line with Chef’s beliefs, these efforts have ensured traceability of the food’s origin and contributed to reducing the restaurant’s overall carbon footprint. Organic Myanmar Tomatoes Noteworthy dishes from the new menu include the “Crabe & Poire,” which uses freshly caught crab from Chaung Thar, a seaside village in the Ayeyarwady Region, west of Yangon. Paired with the crab tartare are avocado and herbs grown throughout Myanmar, and sake-sesame marinated pears. Through working with quality local ingredients, Chef Xavier has also been able to create plates that emphasize the pure and delicate natural flavours of each ingredient. An example of this is the “Tomates” dish, which uses organic Myanmar tomatoes from the Shan State and Ayayarwaddy region. The tomatoes are prepared in five different ways, culminating in a complex yet simple dish that lets the ingredients shine on their own. Chef Christophe Buzare At The Strand Yangon, artisan products such as ‘Annie’s All Natural range’ are used. This Yangon-based company creates Greek-style yoghurts and the country’s first locally-manufactured sour cream, which are seamlessly incorporated on the menu. Then for the Strand’s famous high tea, guests can enjoy coffee sourced from Element Coffee Roasters, a micro-roastery in the heart of Yangon, as well as Myanmar Tea from Nga Nga in the northern Shan State. Executive Chef Christophe Buzaré, from Babett Eatery and Bar at Hotel G Yangon, also upholds the same values and works with local fishermen from the Mergui archipelago, renowned for its rich biodiversity and marine life. Inspired by the fresh seafood from these islands, Chef Christophe created “Babett’s Fish Soup”, a hearty dish using a selection of fish from Mergui and served with French rouille sauce. Babett Black Pomfret The fresh seafood is also used to prepare “Black Pomfret,” prepared with pan-fried black pomfret fish, and served with clam sauce, butter, and snow peas, as well as Babett’s lunch special, where Chef Christophe prepares a selection of dishes on a daily basis available only for lunch. Staying true to their commitment to local provenance, Chef Christophe and his team also support a social enterprise called La Boulangerie Française, which teaches baking skills to vulnerable youngsters in Myanmar. The income generated from the sale of pastries baked by these apprentices is used to fund the school, which include the Danish pastries served at Babett every morning for their breakfast buffet. Over in Bangkok, at Scarlett Restaurant and Wine Bar, Chef de Cuisine Sylvain Royer, who is a recipient of the coveted Maître Cuisinier de France award, has been working closely with local organic farmers for years, to maintain a constant supply of fresh seasonal vegetables. Chef Sylvain explains, “At Scarlett, from the very beginning, there has always been a strong respect for the way that our produce is sourced. Long hours are spent visiting farms and various regional producers to form trustworthy partnerships.” Today, most of the vegetables and herbs used at Scarlett come from Wild Nature Artisan, a 100% organic farm located in the heart of Chiang Mai. Another favourite amongst Scarlett’s customers is the “Truffle Risotto,” made with Thai rice called “SueBueSorMe,” grown by the “Pakaphayoh” group, an indigenous tribe from Northern Thailand. Also from Chiang Mai, the very special Bussakorn Cheese, made by a cheesemaker near Mae Jo district, can be found on Scarlett’s cheese platters. Through their initiatives to have less of an impact on the environment, these restaurants in Yangon and Bangkok have proven that every player in the industry can make a difference by reshaping the way they think, prepare and serve food, and putting sustainability at the heart of their kitchens. They continue to be dedicated to supporting local communities and creating menus that change with the seasons and always include farm-fresh produce to combine gastronomic know-how with cultural heritage. This, in turn, makes the guests feel connected to their food and makes them realise the need to consume more consciously. Step by step, through embracing a circular economy, looking inwards to turn local ingredients into refined meals and throwing away as little as possible, they are pushing the boundaries of sustainable cuisine and leading by example for the other restaurants within the GCP Hospitality portfolio. The Strand Seafood Curry More Information For more information and reservations at Babett Yangon and Scarlett Bangkok, visit randblab.com, and for the F&B outlets at The Strand Yangon, visit hotelthestrand.com. To learn more about the brands’ holding company GCP Hospitality, visit gcphospitality.com.
Sail on: Scuba divers take the plunge from luxury yachts
Burma Boating is set to launch monthly cruises around the Mergui Archipelago, combining two of the most sought-after activities in these pristine waters – yachting and scuba diving. The SY Dallinghoo, a 30-metre classic gaff-rigged schooner crafted by renowned US yacht designer Dudley Dix, will cast off from the port of Kawthaung in southern Myanmar once a month from November 2019 through April 2020 and traverse the Mergui Archipelago on an eight-day, seven-night sailing trip which can accommodate up to eight qualified divers. “With this new Sail & Dive adventure, we wanted to offer something extraordinary,” said Michael Cole, head of Burma Boating. “There are few, if any, undiscovered nirvanas like the Mergui Archipelago left on this planet. These cruises will provide comfort, exquisite dining, and stops at no less than five fantastic dive sites, all of which feature a kaleidoscope of coral and magnificent marine life.” The Mergui Archipelago is located in the Andaman Sea off the coast of southern Myanmar and is home to the ethnic Moken community of fisherman, also known as ‘sea gypsies’. In addition to the Sail & Dive cruises, Burma Boating offers weekly sailing and yachting trips around the archipelago until mid-May, 2020, when monsoon season begins.
Cruise news: Largest monopoly, solar catamarans and more
From half a million dollar investment upgrades to the largest monopoly in the world at sea the cruise world has been quite dynamic this week. Read up and catch up on all the action. High investment upgrades European Waterways announced that it is investing more than USD 500,000 toward a fleet-wide upgrade program that will see cabin redesigns, upgraded on-board amenities and modernised bathrooms on numerous vessels to provide a more comfortable and immersive hotel barge cruising experience. According to Derek Banks, managing director for European Waterways, the company’s ongoing collaboration with Britain’s Marion Falchi Interiors, which specialises in luxury residential interiors, will ensure that a more contemporary style is “married smoothly with traditional features” to meet the high standards of luxury, comfort and convenience that guests aboard European Waterways’ vessels have come to expect. The Medallion Princess Cruises has announced that three more of its ships – Royal Princess, Crown Princess and Sky Princess – are to be fully Princess Medallion-activated, meaning a total of five ships in the fleet will feature their award-winning technology. The Medallion is the same size as a 10p piece, is fully-automated and has no visible technology such as an on-off switch or charging function. It is complete with keyless stateroom access, an OceanCompass, which provides interactive directions throughout the ship and allows guests to easily locate friends, family and their children, access real-time itinerary via portals throughout the ship, and interactive games that can be played on portals across the vessel and the top deck. The three newly-announced ships will join the 3,140-guest Caribbean Princess and 3,560-guest Regal Princess, which are already Medallion-enabled. The Medallion will be available on the 3,080-guest Crown Princess in July as she sails the British Isles from Southampton and will be followed by the 3,560-guest Royal Princess in April as she departs for her maiden Alaska season. The 3,660-guest Sky Princess, which joins the fleet in October, will be Medallion-ready when she embarks on her maiden season in the Mediterranean before heading to the Caribbean. This means all of Princess’ Caribbean-based ships will have full Medallion services from this Autumn. "Holidays enhanced with Princess Medallion" Tony Roberts, vice president Princess Cruises UK and Europe, said: “Having recently travelled on Caribbean Princess I can say first-hand that guests are finding their holidays enhanced with Princess Medallion as a new and memorable experience. This will include everyone who sails with us to the Caribbean this autumn and winter. A monopoly of the largest Monopoly The world’s best-selling board game will now be magnified to its largest ever form on Genting Dream and World Dream, the megaships of Dream Cruises. In addition to family fun and games, it is just in time for a hassle-free celebration of Lunar New Year at sea with festive feasts and parties, educational STEAM workshops for kids and more. On every sailing during the promotion period from January to March 2019, the popular board game at sea will feature a customised game board with property spaces that are named after signature outlets and amenities aboard the cruise ship, such as Crystal Life Spa, Little Dreamers Club and ESC Experience Lab. In addition to the grand prize, in every game, there are instant prizes such as on-board offers, discounts and special experiences up for grabs in Chance Cards and Community Chest cards. Solar power Burma Boating, a sailing firm owned by Myanmar tourism trailblazers Memories Group, has unveiled the latest acquisition to its fleet – the S55, a 16.7-meter solar-powered yacht, which will offer expeditions around the Mergui Archipelago from January 2019. The S55 catamaran can accommodate up to six guests and three crew members, and is composed of three levels including a flybridge commanding 360-degree views, a 40m² air-conditioned salon, and four cabins – including one 7m-wide suite – each with queen-sized beds and private en-suite bathrooms. Built in 2018, this ultra-modern catamaran becomes the first 100% solar-run boat to sail in Asia, according to her designers, Silent-Yachts. The S55’s 30 mounted solar panels create 10kWp, which allows her to travel an unlimited distance on an average sunny day (though she also maintains a fuel-based back-up engine). Two silent 30kW motors drive the S55 to a maximum speed of 12 knots. "S55 will leave a minimal environmental footprint" “The benefits of sailing with solar power cannot be overstated,” said Burma Boating’s general manager Eric Poepper. “The S55 will leave a minimal environmental footprint, but offer travellers unprecedented sailing comfort. She sails as silently over the waves as any sailboat, but without depending on the winds. When anchored, even the usual generator noises will vanish and become a memory of the past, letting the passengers focus entirely on the magnificence of the Mergui islands, landscapes and sunsets.” City bags one too https://youtu.be/O484PuEv8v4 City Cruises acquires its first dedicated events vessel. The 38-metre vessel has a number of versatile indoor and outdoor spaces including, three alfresco decks, a formal 130-seater dining space with booth and table seating, plus a large inside mid-deck room which increases the inside vessel capacity to 300 guests. The flexibility and technology capabilities of the boat allows event organisers to host corporate product launches, award ceremonies, company gatherings and personal celebrations from weddings to birthday parties. "A growing demand for private hire" Kyle Haughton, managing director of City Cruises, commented; “We are thrilled to welcome the Erasmus in to our London fleet today because we have seen a growing demand for private hire amongst the corporate and leisure market. The boat’s flexible space, layout and contemporary interior design made the Erasmus the perfect fit for City Cruises. Existing team members will staff the new boat, but we will be recruiting for additional team members to join our family in the future.”
Industry insights with Willem Niemeijer of Khiri Travel
Celebrating 25 years in business, Khiri Travel looks in retrospect at its journey as an travel agency in Asia. Khiri Travel founder, Willem Niemeijer, shares the insights which inform his travel industry decision making plans for 2019 and sheds a lesson or two for up and coming industry professionals. We takes notes as Niemeijer spells out words of wisdom from his career. He begins with with setting a clear goal on why one chooses a career in the travel industry. Don’t make money your motivation, he said in a press statement. Work in the travel industry to serve guests and local communities alike, while preserving the environment. It is the only sustainable way forward for our industry. Save the planet Niemeijer stresses the importance of human resources and the environment that make the travel industry ecosystem. Environmental certification (such as Travelife) is not just the right thing to do morally but also economically as it pays dividends for companies and DMC's such as Khiri, "who are committed to the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit". "People make a destination" We are already seeing a surge in the reduced use of single-use plastics and this trend continues on holidays too. He feels, private companies and discerning consumers in this regard will take the lead and government policies will catch up later. Personal touch "People are king. Finding, hiring and retaining the right personnel can make or break a company. It’s the biggest challenge out there." While technology and social channels rule the roost, and chat bots come to the rescue of travel personnel, Niemeijer says, "do not replace face-to-face contact". Niemeijer urges the community to keep the personal touch and stated, "Good travel is defined by human connection more than place. You may discover respect for a community. Or a one to one connection. Or both. Either way, people make a destination." Take time and effort to see your friends, business relations, suppliers and clients as often as you can. Upcoming trends Given Niemeijer's long term engagement in the industry, the veteran is confident that China and India will be the two major will markets to watch out for and they will continue to transform not just the travel industry in Asia and the world, but the global economy and culture. Overtourism in popular destinations are driving a new league of travellers to look for unheard of places and experiences. And, as OTA's facilitate independent travel booking, TA's and DMC's will need to be on top of their game as people creating their own holidays, using the internet, will become more pronounced, he pointed out. In a time of mergers of the travel giants, smart investments in the travel industry will give rise to a slew of new niche specialists. This will continue to be more pronounced in the hospitality and the tour operating segments. There is power in agility and specialisation. He looks forward to the value ‘Augmented Reality’ will add to the travel world. Calling it a "breakthrough technology in travel" he stated that their potential to add meaningful value to museums, national parks, restaurants, and travel trade shows will be mind boggling. He is also hoping Space Tourism will finally become reality and will rapidly become more accessible, while remaining the ultimate bucket list item for many. Emerging destinations Nan – Northern Thailand: This province is home to many amazing national parks and is a cultural hub. Access to Luang Prabang in Laos will help it secure a firm place on the map of discerning travellers. Flores: The gateway to Komodo will develop further as a wonderful new destination in Indonesia. Cambodian Islands: like Koh Rong Samloem and Koh Rong will feature more in programs, making Cambodia a stand-alone destination. Super luxury resort brand Song Saa will be joined by Six Senses soon. Other big brands will follow. Mergui Archipelago: Exciting new exclusive resorts in the remote Southern part of Myanmar are already in the final stages of development. Accessibility from Southern Thailand offers exciting possibilities. Kumana National Park in Sri Lanka: It’s close to Yala National Park but receives much fewer visitors and is better for wildlife safaris. What are the truths, trends, wishes, predictions and new destinations that you think will define the future of travel? If you are considering making a career move or perhaps just fancy browsing available jobs in the industry? Check out opportunities at TD Jobs. {link to /jobs}
The last straw: Hotels and resorts in Asia fight back against plastic waste
When it comes to plastic waste, many hotels and resorts have reached the last straw. This month in Indonesia a dead sperm whale washed ashore with close to 6 kg (13 lbs) of plastic waste in its stomach — which included 115 drinking cups. Each year up to 13 million tonnes of plastic leak into our oceans, according to the United Nations Environment Programme. Below are seven resorts and hotels around Asia that are fighting against plastic waste: Grand Hyatt Taipei Ordering take-out, picking up groceries, buying a soft drink — these are all activities that are set to change over the next decade in Taiwan when the island nation imposes a blanket ban on single-use plastic bags, straws, and cups by 2030. Taipei’s largest luxury hotel, Grand Hyatt Taipei, has already kicked the habit and is now using paper straws instead. In addition, the hotel recently announced that it would not actively provide guests with straws unless required for special drinks. “It’s our goal to help change consumer habits rather than simply offering a less environmentally-damaging alternative,” said Grand Hyatt Taipei’s general manager, Jan Hendrik-Meidinger. “In addition to no longer using plastic straws, our hotel also plans to provide guests with biodegradable wooden cutlery with their takeaway meals in order to help significantly reduce plastic waste.” Banyan Tree Samui If one incident brought home the crisis, it was when a pilot whale washed up on a beach in the Gulf of Thailand in May. Vets spent five days trying to save the giant whale, but it died. In an autopsy, they found no less than 80 plastic bags weighing 8 kg in its stomach. Now, on the Gulf islands of Samui, Phangan and Tao, strict new environmental laws are being enforced, while on Koh Samet a complete ban on tourists arriving with any plastic bags whatsoever has been laid down. Resorts and hotels are playing their part too; none more so than Banyan Tree Samui which earlier this year won a coveted international award for its eco-policies. “Housekeepers are using cloth bags instead of plastic, while in the restaurants we are serving wooden and bamboo utensils,” said Banyan Tree’s CSR manager Thepsuda Loyjiw, herself a marine biologist. “And we have changed to glass bottles, which means a reduction of 87,600 plastic bottles per year.” The nearly 300 staff at the luxury resort are also encouraged to reject plastic by bringing their own cups and cloth bags to work. Paradise Cruises Halong Bay Vietnam has a serious problem with plastic waste. So much so it generated more than 1.8 million tonnes of plastic waste last year, the fourth-highest of any country, according to Earth Day Network. Paradise Cruises, one of Halong Bay’s leading luxury cruise providers, has introduced a program to tackle the scourge of plastic, banning plastic straws from all seven of its luxury cruise ships and saving an estimated 36,000 straws annually. The group aims to eliminate all disposable plastics on its cruises by the end of this year. “As plastic takes about 200 years to decompose, it poses a great threat to our oceans and right here in Halong Bay,” said Edgar Cayanan, general manager of Paradise Cruises. “A staggering amount is thrown into the water every single day and without action, nothing changes. And things have absolutely got to change.” The Anam Cam Ranh Overlooking Long Beach on Vietnam’s sensitive Cam Ranh peninsula, the Anam’s stunning setting serves as a stark reminder to save our oceans. The Anam Cam Ranh has dramatically curbed the presence of plastic on its grounds by discontinuing the use of plastic bags, replacing plastic drinking bottles with recyclable glass bottles and implementing bamboo straws instead of plastic straws. Crafted out of timber sourced from sustainably cultivated forests, the resort also uses recycled laundry water to quench its gardens’ thirst and conducts regular beach cleaning, in addition to educating staff, suppliers and other hotels in the area about how to reduce waste in a bid to make an impact at a community level. “We cannot stress how important plastic reduction is for us all,” said the Anam’s general manager Herbert Laubichler-Pichler. “With plastic pollution seriously threatening the environment worldwide, particularly with fish consuming tiny plastic pieces entering our food chain, it’s a must we set a strong example by slashing the use of plastic at our resort.” Awei Pila, Myanmar You won’t come across a 7-11, a Starbucks or a traffic light on the remote island of Pila. Apart from one rickety wooden beach bar with a pool table, there’s little to indicate you are in the 21st century at all. Mostly uninhabited and untouched by civilization, the Mergui Archipelago is one of the world’s last pristine paradises, and Awei Pila hotel’s resident marine biologist Marcelo Guimaraes aims to keep it that way. “As a Plastic-Free Pledge Ambassador for Myanmar, it’s my goal to reduce as much as possible single-use plastic at our resort,” said the Brazilian scuba diving enthusiast. “We’ll provide aluminium water bottles to all guests at Awei Pila (opening 15 December 2018). The shower caps are made of starch, and the shampoo and body lotions are served inside glass bottles. The only plastic item in the villas is the top on the toothpaste tubes. But we will find a way to replace that soon and be 100% plastic-free. “The only footprint we want to create is when we walk on these deserted beaches.” Fusion Fusion has long been an innovator when it comes to wellness experiences for its guests but now it has another kind of well-being at top of mind — that of the earth. Over the course of 2018, Fusion did away with the use of plastic straws at its spa-inclusive resorts in Da Nang, Phu Quoc, and Cam Ranh as well as it's all-suite hotels in Da Nang and Saigon, and at their head office too. “Take Fusion Resort Phu Quoc for example, until we switched completely to bamboo straws in May 2018 we were buying around 20,000 plastic straws per year,” explained Peter Meyer, Fusion’s CEO. “That’s approximately 20 kg of plastic we’ve saved from being poured into landfills or spewed into fragile ocean habitats each year. If we spread that statistic across all of Fusion’s resorts and hotels, that’s a lot of single-use plastic.” The next step in their plastic reduction plan will be rolling out refillable branded bottles at each property, taking their annual plastic water bottle consumption down from the hundreds of thousands to zero. This change has already been initiated at the corporate office, where they now have refillable flasks in their meeting rooms. The minibars and bathroom amenity sets at the properties are also looking a lot more green, as they opt for products that utilise paper-based packaging instead of plastic. Laguna Lang Co The jungle-clad mountains that pour down to the ocean at Laguna Lang Co, as well as the pristine beach at the resort, are reminders of the elemental beauty of nature. Indeed, synergy with the pristine surrounds is a top priority, even as new hotels, a casino and residential components come online at the 280-hectare development in central Vietnam. To that end, the resort is targeting the elimination of all single-use plastics within a year. “Vietnam is one of the most beautiful countries in the world, and we are fortunate enough to have one of its most visually stunning sites,” said Laguna Lang Co’s director of golf Adam Calver. “As guardians of the area we are well aware of our responsibility to it, and cutting out plastic is an important step in the right direction.” The drive to eliminate plastic at the resort is already at an advanced stage. Plastic garbage bags have been replaced by bamboo baskets, accessories have been switched to wooden or bamboo materials, paper cups have replaced plastic ones while all straws are made using paper, steel, bamboo or natural grass.
Pandaw announces one-time Asia voyage through southern Burma
RV Katha Pandaw Asia cruise pioneer Pandaw has announced a new river and ocean voyage that will explore Southern Burma, setting sail on 28 February 2019. The new Delta and Coast – All Southern Burma tour is an 18-night expedition that will start with a river cruise, followed by an ocean cruise in the Mergui Archipelago. It offers travellers a chance to explore all of Southern Burma with a loop round the Great Irrawaddy Delta and then fly down to Kawthaung, the country's southern most tip, to sail back up to Rangoon on the Andaman Explorer. Passengers will travel both by shallow draft wooden ship (RV Katha Pandaw) and a refurbished 1960s motor yacht (Andaman Explorer). The Andaman Explorer “Paradise can truly be found in the azure seas, coral reefs and thousand islands of the Mergui Archipelago” Pandaw founder and CEO, Paul Strachan said, “This one-off expedition is a unique opportunity to see these rarely visited regions, which are vastly different from each other, yet both full of cultural and scenic interest. The Irrawaddy Delta’s maze of tributaries, villages and ancient trading ports remain untouched by tourism, and paradise can truly be found in the azure seas, coral reefs and thousand islands of the Mergui Archipelago.” The expedition will depart from Yangon, on RV Katha Pandaw, and start to weave through the Irrawaddy Delta’s labrynth of waterways. Over the weeks, it will pass through ports, local towns and gypsy villages, secret lagoons, national parks and reserves, and monasteries - showing the rich cultural heritage of Southern Burma. The 18-night package will offer passengers a multitude of activities and it includes domestic flights from Yangon to Kawthaung, scenic excursions, entrance fees, guide services in English, meals, jugged coffee, teas and tisanes, local drinks, water, kayak and snorkeling equipment.
Myanmar hopeful over Thai tourism deal
Myanmar's "Golden Rock Pagoda" in Kyaiktiyo Tourism authorities in Myanmar say they are optimistic that a new agreement with Thailand will give the country a tourism boost - especially during the green season. Thailand and Myanmar share a 1,800km border and international tourists will now be able cross between the two countries via three checkpoints (Mai Sai-Tachileik, Mae Sot-Myawaddy and Ranong-Kawthaung) by applying for an e-visa prior to travel. There are also more than 25 daily flights between the two countries, connecting Bangkok and Chiang Mai with destinations like Yangon, Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay. And May Myat Mon Win (pictured), vice chairman of the Myanmar Tourism Federation, said she was very hopeful that the new arrangement would lead to a rise in cross-border tourism, especially in the off-peak “green” season. May Myat Mon Win "Myanmar has always been very quiet during the green season as tourists, who want to end their holiday at a beach, had difficulties finding a sunny seaside in Myanmar," she said. "Together with Thailand, we want to encourage tourists to visit all the cultural sights in Myanmar, also from June till September, and enjoy the last part of their holiday at the beach in Koh Samui and other islands where it’s the dry season in this period and the weather is sunny. "We hope this MoU will help getting more tourists visiting Myanmar during the green season," she added. Potential itineraries for the two destinations could include overland trips from Yangon to the ancient city of Sukhothai, or Phuket to the Mergui Archipelago.
Pandaw trains underprivileged youths in Myanmar
Pandaw operates on Myanmar's Irrawaddy and Chindwin rivers Pandaw Expeditions, the river cruise operator, has partnered with a restaurant in Myanmar to launch a new training programme for teenagers from disadvantaged backgrounds. Sanon, the top Bagan restaurant, has agreed to extend its in-house hospitality training programme to Pandaw's boats. The companies will now collaborate to provide F&B training to underprivileged teens, with Sanon's interns being offered two-week sessions onboard Pandaw ships. "At Pandaw, we are always on the look-out for talented individuals to provide a personalised service on board our ships," said Pandaw's founder, Paul Strachan. "We saw an opportunity to support Sanon owner, Richard Woolnough, in his quest to provide a new dimension to the hands-on training of his students whilst, at the same time, enhancing the culinary experience for guests onboard our eight Burma-based ships. "The interns will join us, on rotation, once they have received extensive training from Sanon in their preferred path, whether it’s as a cook or a waiter. We look forward to welcoming the first interns and very much hope that one or two will have a future career with Pandaw when they graduate," he added. Sanon serves Burmese food with a Western twist and is currently rated as TripAdvisor’s top restaurant in Bagan. "We are delighted with our new partnership with Pandaw and we are grateful beyond words to... all of the Pandaw team for their support and for making it happen," said Woolnough. "They have gone above and beyond the proverbial call to make the whole process easy and welcoming for our young people. It is of huge benefit to us to be able to offer our students the opportunity to gain invaluable work experience aboard Pandaw’s vessels. "Not only will it equip them with a host of new skills, it will add immeasurably to their general confidence and life experience. We look forward to seeing the first of our graduates exchange their Sanon maroon uniforms for Pandaw blue." Pandaw currently operates cruises on Myanmar’s Irrawaddy and Chindwin rivers, as well as around the Mergui Archipelago.
Myanmar to go international from southernmost airport
Kawthaung Airport is the gateway to the Mergui Archipelago Myanmar is planning to upgrade and expand Kawthaung Airport, in the far south of the country. The 7 Day Daily reported Myanmar's Minister of Hotels & Tourism, U Ohn Maung, as saying that he has discussed the expansion project with local officials. The overall aim is for Kawthaung to become Myanmar's next international airport, opening up the country's Andaman coast to overseas visitors. Kawthaung Airport is the main gateway to the Mergui Archipelago, which the Myanmar government has earmarked for tourism development. “If we want to develop this region, we need to expand Kawthaung Airport so that it can receive direct international flights,” the minister was quoted saying. Currently, only three airports in Myanmar can handle international flights: Yangon, Mandalay and Naypyidaw.
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