MoHT discusses mission shift to better service

May 30, 2020

Union Minister for Hotels and Tourism U Ohn Maung held a video conference with state/regional heads of the Directorate of Hotels and Tourism yesterday.

Also present at the meeting were Deputy Minister U Tin Latt, Director-General U Maung Maung Kyaw of the directorate, and ministry officials.

The Union Minister first delivered a speech where he said since the ministry has changed its mission statement, it will also convert its motto to “To Serve Better” and “Service to Tourists, Tourism Industry to the Public” in order to emerge as an effective service ministry.

The Union Minister said the mindset of ministry staff need to change to reflect the new motto. He said the Tourism Law passed in 2018 brought about noticeable change when certain authorities were delegated to state/regional tourism committees.

All ministry staff should clearly understand official publications by the ministry, said U Ohn Maung. He said the Tourism Strategic Road Map for the period during and after the COVID-19 pandemic incorporates the three phases of Survival, Reopening, and Relaunching and is in the initial implementation stage.

The Union Minister said the Survival phase will include training courses that provide daily wages which will be planned by the DMOs of local tourism committees and management committees. He said hotels wishing to reopen soon must pass inspections by the Ministry of Health and Sports and the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population.

The Union Minister said the tourism sector will reopen with domestic tourism and it is necessary to assist restaurants so that they can pass medical inspections to reopen again. He also told attendees to discuss the use of the Guest List Management System launched in May and any issues regarding it.

Next, the Deputy Minister discussed that a destination management plan and action plans need to be drawn ahead of forming District Management Organizations (DMO), how fees for licences related to tourism had been exempted for a year during COVID-19, and carrying out the COVID-19 Myanmar Tourism Relief Plan by uploading relevant information on the Facebook pages of state/regional offices.—MNA (Translated by Zaw Htet Oo)