International Airlines In Myanmar Extend Flight Services For Peak Tourism Season

YANGON, Feb 4 (Bernama) -- International airlines in Myanmar have extended their flight services starting this month due to the fall of peak tourism season, China's Xinhua news agency reported Thursday, citing travel agents as saying.

As the Chinese lunar new year and Myanmar's traditional water festival are falling in mid-February and mid-April respectively, the round trip tickets for flights between Yangon and Singapore, and between Yangon and Bangkok have been fully booked, the sources said.

They added that airlines such as Bangkok Airway, Myanmar Airway International, Air Bagan and Jet Star offering the above flight services respectively have decided to extend their flight schedules.

Starting from October last year, the number of Myanmar people traveling abroad as well as that of foreign tourists arriving in Myanmar have gradually increased, showing a sign of improvement of the country's tourism sector, hoteliers commented.

According to official statistics, tourists arrivals in Myanmar hit 227,400 in 2009, up 25 percent compared with 2008.

Of the foreign tourists, 42,700 came from Thailand, 23,634 from China and 14,400 from the United States.

The number of European visitors went to 47,161, accounting for 20 percent.

Of them, French travelers stood 10,225, representing the largest number of visitors from among European countries who toured Myanmar, followed by German tourists with 8,788 ranking the second from the continent.

The sharp increase of tourist arrivals amid world economic crisis signified an encouraging sign for the revival of the industry, the Myanmar Ministry of Hotels and Tourism commented.

The Ministry also said that Myanmar will become a Southeast Asian country in the near future to which Western travelers mostly visit.

The tourist arrivals in Myanmar once fell in 2008 especially in the months after deadly cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar in early May of the year.

Source :http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsworld.php?id=473289

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