Let’s run service businesses

23 Sep


I use social media and watch different news channels whenever I am at home during the outbreak of Covid-19. When I see the pages describing Myanmar’s beauties of nature, Myanmar is a land of suprises featuring places of natural beauties, magnificent stupas and pagodas, splendid structures, impressive palaces, simple lifestyles and livelihoods of national races, colourful traditinal costumes, hospitality, continuous flow of waterfalls, beautiful limestones, hygienic and fresh natural foods and significant products.


The media mentioned in the review of some economists that every country will have to suffer economic crisis as long as the Covid-19 goes on occurring, especially with developed countries to face worse situation and developing countries to encounter least losses. The developing countries are agro-based ones with no worries over basic needs of food, clothing and shelter and they can give help to even other countries and even services can develop more.


Three same answers were received when asking friends who made several frequent foreign visits. They said they miss cuisine, beauties of nature and cultures of Myanmar. They are sorry to lose money spent on visiting renowned places of other foreign countries. They further said Myanmar has unique places, places of perfect beauties of nature, ancient archeological area of world heritage list, splendid palaces and visiting these sites is not expensive. They take great pride of being Myanmar citizens. Only when they tell me, I deeply think about Myanmar. Myanmar is not a developed country, but is striving for all-round development in all aspects.


Myanmar offers a wealth of unspoilt beauties of nature, famous structures, and renowned places of culture, religion, politics and military. Other countries value and maintain service businesses known as smokeless business. Myanmar is famous for its beautiful sandy beaches attracting local and foreign visitors, historic structures, and conventional farming and livestock methods, royal occasions in time of monarchy, practical capture of animals, moral courses and unique views of hilly region. The collaborative efforts of the government, private entrepreneurs and local people are very encouraging.


Tourism-related businesses such as hotels and motels, souvenir shops, restaurants and rental service will appear around the above mentioned places, thereby resulting in new employments for local people and entrepreneurs, similarly contributing much toward all round development of the State.


The govenment is encouraging service businesses in a bid to develop in Myanmar with entrepreneurs working together with local people in order to achieve success. There is plenty of worth-visiting places in Myanmar such as waterfalls, springs, safaris, zoos, travel sites, elephant camps, community-based sites, world heritage listed ancient archeological areas, unearthed-old towns and old towns under excavation, museums, Japanese-era-arsenal, hospital sites, and British-built-bridges, buildings and historic sites. These are lots of surprises and breathtaking views for local and foreign visitors. The long existence of Myanmar from the earliest era to date is due to unity with Myanmar kings revealing the greatness of their time of glory. Old monuments and buildings existing in all parts of the country are the best proof.


Entrepreneurs are earning income in suitable amount. Myanmar products are being sold and local cuisines are being introduced to the visitors. New employments are being created to local people. Hotels, guesthouses and restaurants are appearing one after another. The emergence of traditional abodes where the visitors can put up and do the cooking is positive changes.


They have least impacts on natural environment and local people can get employments with increased per capita income. The entrepreneurs are okay with their businesses, contributing toward all round development in all aspects and so local people gradually realize robust tourism related businesses and join hand with them. Moreover, there are many unexplored places of natural environment left in Myanmar. For examples, there is plenty of palaces under renovation and a large sum of money has to be well spent. Weekly royal occasions, exhibition on ancient dances and dressing of ancient attire, and sale of souvenirs are income sources. Myanmar’s great prestige of the ancient time can be revealed.


Entrepreneurs can do cruise business in Ayeyawady, Chindwin, Sittoung and Shweli rivers in Myanmar. Mountaineering expeditions to iced mountain and other mountains should be arranged commercially. Planning relaxation trip to the unique places like Myitson can make much profit. Myanma’s beauties of nature are more natural than some other countries’ outdoing them. But to improve smokeless businesses needs peace and tranquility, better transport and infrastructure facilities. Different media channels are needed to spotlight Myanma’s beauties of nature for enabling the global people to know them.


Emphasis has to be placed on agriculature, industry and service sectors for equalitable development in all aspects of a country. When reviewing the economic development of a country, GDP plays a major role. The country is regarded as the poor when agricultural role serves the most in GDP, as the developing when industrial role serves the most in GDP and as the rich when service businesses serve the most in GDP. As a result of that emphasis is being placed on service businesses having least effect on natural environment.


To be candid, service business means all enterprises earning directly or indirectly by providing services. Typical service businesses include travel, real estate, banking, insurance, technology, education, health, researches, hotels, natural environmental expedition, and camping trips. Now the goverment is easing some restrictions to pave the way for foreign visitors and investments. Service businesses for local visitors emerge competitively when the travel season reaches at its peak.


However, misinformation and humours are having effects on service businesses of Myanmar, thereby causing obstacles to foreign travellers to Myanmar. Furthermore, raising hotel serive charges and local products as well as selling imitative products delay the development of the service businesses. Emphasis should be placed on fixed hotel service charge, clean and hygienic local products, restaurants, warm and friendly relations, courtesy and safe service.
Service is a system provides something that the customers need. It is basically divided into four types. The first type is to provide or receive service to/from a customer with both the service provider and the customer without moving. For example, a customer contacts the service business over the phone or Email or online to book hotel room, get tickets for travel and seek information and give information. The second one is, a customer has to go to the service business to receive the service. For instance, a customer goes to a hotel to put up giving service charge, similarly, travelling by train, by car and by plane doing like so. Likewise a customer has to go to a restaurant to receive dine-in service paying for the service charge. The third one is, a customer has to go to franchises of the service business to receive the service. For example, a customer has to go to the branch university run from abroad where his children are to enrol to pursue education. Similarly, a customer has to go to the branch hospital run from abroad to undergo medical treatment. The franchise restaurants run from abroad are also the same matter.


The fourth one is, the customers have to receive the services provided to them. For instance, a schoolteacher from abroad comes to the branch university opened in the country of the customer and serves part-time teaching. Similarly, a foreign physician comes to a franchise hospital in the country, giving medical treatment. The relation between the customer and the service provider is of importance despite many service businesses. Fair relation is of great importance. With regard to commodity services necessary for the basic needs of the people such as food, clothing and shelter, there must have quality acceptable to the customers with precise weight and safety, according to the Consumer Protection Law (2019). The entrepreneurs must give a guarantee of quality, precise weight and safety. If the customers faced losses and sufferings, the entrepreneurs would take responsibility and accountability as long as the victims are pleased. It concerns the decision of Myanmar Consumer Affairs Commission.


Almost all the countries across the world including Myanmar are suffering setbacks in all areas affected by Covid-19. Myanmar is among low-risk countries in the world in the face of Covid-19. Myanmar is an agro-based country striving for modern development. In an effort to cover the losses from other sectors affected by Covid-19, it is the most suitable moment to start the service businesses based on ecotourism causing damage to the natural environment as little as possible, thereby contributing toward all round development of the country as well.

By Naing Oo (DOCA) (Translated by Htut Htut (Twantay))

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