Balloon flights trimmed

BAGAN  Myanmar’s Ministry of Culture’s Department of Archaeology and National Museum has revised over flight rules for hot air balloons to prevent damage to pagodas.
Myanmar Times reported that the regulations require balloons to fly no lower than 90 metres (300 feet) to a maximum of 600 metres (2,000 feet) with landing grounds positioned a considerable distance from the pagodas.
The operator must land balloons well away from ancient pagodas and use only authorised flight paths or face sanctions, the report said.
The rules were discussed over a three-month period with the companies concerned, as well as the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism and the Department of Civil Aviation.
inside no 7Officials devised the new rules amid fears that the delicate finials and bud-like ornaments on the top of pagoda spires could be damaged if a craft was blown off-course. In fact, no accident has ever been recorded.
The ballooning season runs from 1 October to the end of March.
Data from the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism shows that 17,802 tourists rode hot air balloons in Bagan in 2014, up 56% from 11,362 in 2013.
Foreign tourists are attracted to hot air balloon trips as it makes it easier to enjoy the sunrise vistas over Bagan’s pagodas. Balloons are the top tourist draw despite the price tag of around USD300 per person for a one-hour trip.
Hot air balloon services started in 1999, and there are now three travel agencies offering trips– Balloons Over Bagan, Oriental Ballooning, and Golden Eagle Ballooning.
Bagan is an ancient city located in Mandalay Region built between the 9th and 11th centuries, when some 55 Buddhist kings ruled the Bagan Dynasty.
Bagan Archaeological Zone covers about 42 sq km (16 miles) and has more than 3,000 pagodas.
Last year, there were more than 240,000 tourists who visited the ancient city and they generated USD4.1 million in tourism-related revenue.

sourced:ttrweekly.com