Myanmar Expects 5 Million Tourists in 2020 Despite Virus Fears
- Nation is targeting a 14% increase in arrivals this year
- Spread of novel coronavirus casts cloud over regional tourism
The Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, Myanmar, is a major tourism destination.
Photographer: Mladen Antonov/AFP via Getty Images
Myanmar expects to achieve its target of attracting 5 million tourists in 2020, even as fears about the deadly coronavirus that originated in China cast a long shadow over the travel industry.
“We’re well-prepared to prevent an outbreak of this virus,” Maung Maung Kyaw, head of the Directorate of Hotels and Tourism, said in an interview, citing coordination with the Health Ministry on a plan of action.