Planned: Delhi—Mumbai marketing campaigns

Yangon International Airport (YIA) has launched a marketing campaign to tap Southeast Asian bound tourists from India with a series of roadshows, including to major Indian cities, in line with the India-ASEAN Air Connectivity initiative.

Yangon Aerodrome Company Ltd (YACL), YIA’s investors and the operating company of the airport under a Public Private Partnership has planned similar interactions with travel industry for Mumbai and New Delhi in the near future, following on to the one recently held in Kolkata.

“It is important for Myanmar to be positioned as a first point of entry to ASEAN for Indian tourists. The Indian market is very important for YIA, especially tourists from the North Eastern region, and those traveling through New Delhi and Mumbai,” said YACL chief executive Ho Chee Tong.

In 2018, an estimated 3.6 million Indian tourists travelled to Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, a figure that is expected to rise, according to Ho who promotes Myanmar’s busiest international airport as a major gateway to Southeast Asia.

“As the busiest airport in Myanmar and the international gateway which is closest to India among the 10 member countries of ASEAN, we are very keen to tap the Indian tourist market.

“Myanmar and India enjoy strong historical and cultural ties. We want to position YIA as a preferred option for travellers to Southeast Asia,” he said.

Under the Air Connectivity initiative, ASEAN and India seek to link India’s North East to South East Asia.

Ho added that YIA continues to improve its operations to accommodate more aircraft so as to meet the rising demand.

YIA handled 2.32 million passengers in the first four months of this year and received 6.035 million passengers in 2018. fiinews.com