Tourism is Myanmar’s most promising industry today. As Myanmar’s tourism industry thrives, industry experts warn that one of the challenges the country could face is the insufficiency of international standard hotel rooms to accommodate the surge of tourists.
This year Myanmar, known as the “Golden Land” of Asia, was nominated for the “World’s Best Tourist Destination” for 2014 by the European Union Council on Tourism and Trade, one of the highest accolades in the global travel and tourism industry, according to the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism. This recognition could put Myanmar as one of the top tourist destinations in Asia.
In 2013, more than two million tourists visited Myanmar from January to December particularly in three major cities, Yangon, Mandalay, and Nay Pyi Daw, the highest ever recorded and almost double compared to 2012, according to Mr. U Htay Aung, Union Minister for Hotels and Tourism.
To address the influx of tourists, the government encourages construction of more hotels in the cities. In Mandalay, one of the newest hotels to be constructed is Aye Yar 78 Hotel, a 21-story building designed to provide 352 luxurious rooms with 5-star quality accommodation. One of its special features is a panoramic view to beautiful tourist attractions such as Shan Yoma Mountain, Mandalay Palace, and Mandalay Hill.
Designed by a premier international architectural firm, Aedas, the Aye Yar 78 is envisioned to be an international standard business and city hotel that will set the benchmark in the region.
To ensure the hotel complies with Myanmar building codes and structural engineering standards and is resilient to natural disasters particularly earthquake, as Myanmar is prone to seismic activities, AIT Consulting, Asian Institute of Technology was invited to develop the structural system and structural design review of the building structure in collaboration with S & A Co. Ltd, the structural design consultant.
Construction of the hotel will start soon as a consultants’ workshop was held on 15-16 May 2014 at the Aedas main office in Singapore attended by engineers and architects from the four consulting firms working on the project including: Arch. Frederico Ramos, Senior Associate, Aedas; Arch. Yin Ke Bin, Associate, Aedas; Arch. Indra Tomo, Associate, Aedas; Arch. Patricia Goutama, Associate, Aedas; Mr. Saw Htwe Zaw, Managing Director, S&A Co. Ltd., Myanmar; Engr. Rohaila Isnin, Senior Engineer, J Roger Preston Pte. Ltd., Singapore; and Dr. Naveed Anwar, Executive Director, AIT Consulting, Thailand.
References: Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, Myanmar, European Union Council on Tourism and Trade
