Visitors to the newly-opened resort can enjoy stunning views of the Andaman Sea.

THE future of tourism in the Myeik Archipelago is assured as investors demonstrate confidence in the region’s potential for development as a top destination.

Late last month marked the soft launch of the first island resort to be built in the archipelago since it was opened to tourism in January 1997.

Myanmar Andaman Resort on Fork Island, 40 nautical miles from Kawthaung, was launched on April 28 with 10 cottages looking over a small bay. Another 12 cottages will be ready for the start of the next tourist high season in September.

The K1 billion project, on which work began last September, is also the first Myanmar-owned resort in the archipelago. The five partners in the project are A1 Construction, Tour Mandalay Co., Ltd., the Panorama Hotel in downtown Yangon, the Kawthaung Motel and the Bagan Sagawa Palace (Power) Hotel.

The resort’s director of products, U Khin Zaw, said the region’s huge tourism potential and its scenic charm had convinced the partners to make the investment.

“There is huge potential down there. You can see it by just looking at the area’s breathtaking natural beauty,” he said.

The archipelago features more than 800 pristine islands dotted throughout the Andaman Sea off the coast between Myeik and Kawthaung and is becoming famous as a destination for activities such as diving, sea kayaking and fishing.

U Khin Zaw, the managing director of Tour Mandalay Co., Ltd., said only environmentally-friendly materials had been used in the resort to help preserve the island’s natural beauty.

“We were very careful not to change the atmosphere of the island. There isn’t any a tree or plant brought in from elsewhere,” he said.

U Khin Zaw expressed hope that the region would never become a mass tourism destination, as it would threaten its natural beauty.

“It would be very short-sighted for us if we aim at mass tourism. This region should target only nature lovers and adventure seekers,” he said.

Another venture investing in the region’s potential is Moby Dick Tours Co., Ltd., which is operating a small fleet of boats for dive and adventure tourism.

The company’s first boat, the 24-metre La Fortune, began adventure cruises in the southern part of the archipelago in early January. It was joined last month by the Nautica, a 24-metre liveaboard dive boat, which will cruise among islands in both Myanmar and neighbouring Thailand. The 29-metre Sea Gipsy, which will also provide adventure cruises in the archipelago, is expected to be ready for the coming tourist high season.

The company’s general manager, Mr Mathias Baumgaertner, described the region’s scenic attractions as “remarkable.”

“There are not many islands left in the world that are as pristine as some of those in the archipelago,” he said.

Mr Baumgaertner said it was possible to visit islands in the archipelago and find no sign that they had been visited by humans.

“As a tour operator, it’s very lucrative market. The adventure tourism market has grown steadily over the last decade and travellers from throughout the world would be greatly interested in visiting the area if access was easier,” said Mr Baumgaertner.

Another player in the emerging tourism industry in the region, U Thet Lwin Toh, also enthuses about its potential.

U Thet Lwin Toh is the managing director of Myanmar Voyages International Tourism Co., Ltd., one of three partners in Tourism Myanmar Co-operative Ltd., operator of the Mergui Princess, one of the first Myanmar-owned liveaboard vessel to operate in the area.

The other partners in the venture, which began operating last October with an initial investment of K60 million, are Myanmar Tourex Travel Service Ltd., and Design Printing Service.

“We do not have to wait long to attract business; even in our first year were averaged an 80 per cent occupancy rate,” said U Thet Lwin Toh, who is also the vice president of the Tourism Myanmar Co-operative Ltd.

U Thet Lwin Toh said there were high expectations for the coming high season following the launch by Myanmar’s third domestic airline, Air Bagan, of scheduled flights between Yangon and Myeik in January.

“Although at first our business mainly came from Ranong (in Thailand, opposite Kawthaung), now there are more customers from Yangon, thanks to Air Bagan,” he said.

Air Bagan flies three times a week to Myeik and Dawei.

U Thet Lwin Toh also expressed hope that the developing tourism industry in the area will not mar its natural beauty.

“We make it a point not to discharge any litter in the area and not even to let tourists buy sea shells. We have to be very careful not to make any of the mistakes which some other countries have made,” he said.