Myanmar chases gateway status

YANGON,  Nyanmar’s government intends to turn the country into a major air travel hub for Southeast Asia competing head-on with Bangkok for status as the preferred gateway for tourists visiting ASEAN.
Myanmar Times quoted Transport Minister U Nyan Htun Aung as saying: “For Myanmar’s aviation sector, we have set a vision that aims at making Myanmar the major logistic and travel hub in Southeast Asia.”
The minister added: “To fulfil this vision, we have also defined a mission that will drive us to strengthen and build an environmentally-friendly aviation industry in the country.”
Workers work near airplanes in Yangon International airport in YangonThe ministry will implement four strategic plans to achieve this goal: Pursuing liberalisation of economic regulation; establishing new air links to destinations worldwide; promoting national airlines and improving infrastructures.
In order to speed up the plan, the ministry is deploying joint ventures under the new foreign investment law.
Figures from the Department of Civil Aviation show total passenger traffic was 6.49 million in 2013, a 16.5% jump from 2012.

sourced:ttrweekly.com