Inlay Lake sees growing demand for hotel rooms

Many popular destinations still lack enough hotels to accommodate tourists as increasing numbers of visitors visit Myanmar during the high season between November and February.

Inlay region, famous for its scenic lake and surrounding countryside, is one area that still struggles to accommodate growing numbers of visitors.

“Constructions for new hotels are being carried out but requirement of rooms will be enough only this tourism season. We didn’t have many troubles getting enough rooms like previous year but there are still problems,” said Zaw Htay Aung, chairperson of hoteliers association.

The numbers of tourists has consistently doubled each year since 2011 when Myanmar began a series of reforms that saw sanctions lifted after years of military misrule and isolation.

Following a boom in hotel construction, Inlay region currently has 73 hotels, including 2,031 rooms, according to the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism.

“Even last year, we had difficulty in getting hotel rooms. The previous year, we (tourist guides) had to live in hostels in Naung Shwe and Inntae. In these regions rooms are still in need,” said a German guide as well as a Miss Myanmar International Nan Khin Zaya.

Since 2010, the tourism industry grown in momentum but hotel charges have also sky rocketed. But high prices has not deterred tourists who continue to visit Inlay Lake and surrounding areas.

source: Eleven Myanmar

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