From Zero-Budget To Hundred Budget

The term “zero-budget” has been rapidly used in tourism industry within these
years. Zero-budget was defined in many different ways. Some said zero-budget
travelers gave nothing when visiting our country and they even took benefit to their
own country. This is not true. As soon as these travelers step their feet to any
international airport of Myanmar, 50 dollars was collected from each of them as a
visa fee. They have to pay the restaurants for their meals. They have to pay the
zone fees for visiting cultural heritage sites.

Then why does it called zero-budget? The actual meaning of zero-budget is not
getting worthily from foreigners. This year 2019 from January to end of June, the
arrival of Chinese tourists fearfully rose to 140%. They are coming to Myanmar in
all three seasons. One of the security guards from Arnandar Pagoda said there were
over 40 express buses of Chinese tourists coming to Arnandar Pagoda. They prefer
boiled corn. Mangoes, bananas, guavas are often bought so it can be said that they
support the locals’ livelihood in a way.

As the Chinese tourists arrive, the people who gain most benefit immediately are
the drivers of horse-drawn carriage. Because of emerging e’bike and tuk tuk, the
drivers of horse-drawn carriage had had fewer job opportunities. European tourists
use the horse-drawn carriage only to watch the sunset. But the Chinese tourists ride
the horse-drawn carriage in any day and so the drivers earn much more than
before.

These Chinese tourists are mainly visit in Mandalay and Bagan. They came from
17 cities of China to Mandalay International Airport using different airlines. Most
airlines land in the evening and the tourists spend their night over Mandalay. In the
second day, they visit around Mandalay city and the next day they transfer to
Bagan before the sunset. They spend about one and a half day at Bagan, and then
come back to Mandalay to fly to their hometown. Some tours also used to go to
Nay Pyi Taw and Pyin Oo Lwin.

No matter what, they have to come back to Mandalay before their departure. The
reason is they have to buy the souvenirs at jade jewelry shop in Mandalay owned
by the Chinese boss. They do not buy from other local jewelry shops, weaving silk
shops and Lacquerware shops at Bagan. Chinese people collect jade as a lucky
stone. They use WeChatPay and Alipay in buying jade so the governments lose out
on tax revenue as payments. The China tour agencies sign contract with most of
the restaurants for one year. The rental fee is about 200,000mmk due to the length
and width. After that they fire Myanmar chiefs at this restaurant and replace with
Chinese chiefs. These restaurants only serve for the customers who came from
their tour agencies.

The China tour agencies also do the same thing to hotels. Once a general manager
of a hotel in Bagan explained me about serving Chinese tourists, “We don’t want
them to stay at our hotel if possible. They smoke alot and talk loudly. We only use
good quality of facilities but some are broken because of their use. But you know,
Bingarli issues reduce the 40% of European tourists. Unless we serve the Chinese
tourists, it’s hard to continue operating our hotel.” Because of Bingarli issues, there
are almost no European tourists in Mrauk-U. Now, Naung Cho, Thi Paw, Lashio
issues will surely reduce the number of European tourists come to Northern Shan
State. However, number of Asian tourists increases year by year especially Chinese
tourists.

Large number of Chinese tourists will surely visit to Myanmar at least till next five
years. We must handle firmly this opportunity. Shall we accept the large quantity
but low benefit guests? Or Shall we accept the large benefit but low quantity
guests? How shall we protect the problems of local employment? How shall we
protect our culture and tradition?

From my point of view,

 The government should ban the payments like WeChat.

 Enactment should be made by the legislative authorities for Myanmar local
employees’ rights and opportunities.
 Not to damage cultural heritage, traditions and customs, there should be
awareness sign boards written in Chinese language at the popular places
where they visit.
 Learning meticulously from Thai and Cambodia how to deal with zero-
budget tourism should be done. (Arrival of Zero-buget tourists in Thai and
Cambodia is 10 Century earlier than that of Myanmar.)
 Discussion with China Tourism Associations and other tourism related
organizations from China should be arranged.

Let’s improve from zero-budget to hundred-

budget!

Isabella