BURMA: Asia's Hermit opens doors to

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Subject: BURMA: Asia's Hermit opens doors to tourists


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ASIA'S 'HERMIT' OPENS DOORS TO TOURISTS
Denis D. Gray
Associated Press

Rangoon--
Gambling that the desire to see one of Asia's last exotic lands will overcome
distaste for their regime, the generals who run Burma are opening its doors
wider than at any time in three decades. 

New hotels are rising in Rangoon, which had been frozen in British-colonial
times.  Foreigners travel the romantic road to Mandalay.  It is even possible
to visit the notorious "Golden Triangle", home of drug gangs and rebels.

Plans move ahead for Southeast Asia's first ski resort, in northern Burma at
6,073 Hkakabo Razi, the country's highest peak.

"Tourism is blossoming all over the world.  Hundreds of millions of dollars
are being made," said Lt. Gen Kyaw Ba, the tourism minister, clearly hoping
some of the money will come to Burma.

The "Hermit of Asia" has been run by the military since 1962.  It permitted
tourists to enter on seven-day visas in the mid 70s, then slammed the doors
again in 1988 after the army brutally crushed a pro-democracy uprising and
the current junta took over.

Over the past year, however, tourism has become one of the highest official
priorities, given the dearth of foreign exchange and the government's desire
to improve its international image.

Kyaw Ba's ministry was created, four-week visas were approved, formerly off-
limits areas were opened and the government loosened its virtual monopoly on
tourism.

In an interview, Kyaw Ba said he expects 60,000 tourists this year--double
the number in 1993 and half a million over five years.  These figures do not
include the far greater numbers who cross borders from China and Thailand.

"Tourism can only go up; It's a very exciting time to be here," said Kenneth
J. Millard, the manager of the 93-year old Strand Hotel, which reopened last
year after extensive renovation  of its moldering interior.

Millard said he doubts political conditions will put tourists off, noting
that China attracts three million a year despite a human rights record that
is perhaps even worse.

Foreign investors certainly are not deterred.  Twelve companies from
Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and Malaysia have invested more than
US$180 million in hotels, according to the government.

So ar, most of the building has been in Rangoon, which in three years is
expected to need more than three times its current 1,200 hotel rooms.  Some
of the larger projects are joint ventures with the government, but relaxed
economic rules have brought a boom in construction of smaller hotels by
entrepreneurs.

Outside the capital, the main focuses will be Mandalay, Burma's second
largest city,  Pegu, the 16th century capital near Rangoon: The ancient
temples of Pagan: Spectacular Inle Lake and the long, unspoiled coastline.