Quality? Stay at "Kaytumadi Dynast

[OKKAR66127@xxxxxxx]

Quality? Stay at  "Kaytumadi Dynasty Hotel of Bagan " 

by Soba

Since the advent of the Ministry of Hotel and Tourism in September
1992, we have witnessed the tremendous endeavours made by this
Ministry to promote business related to the Hotel and Tourism Industry
in Myanmar. Visa formalities were liberalized and tourists are now
allowed to stay in Myanmar for a longer period (28 days) that started
from October 1,1992. Tourists are allowed  accross the border via land
route, though for the time being it is restricted for certain areas
close to the border. For example, tourists from Thailand can travel
across Tachilelk checkpoint for a two-day stay and can travel up to
Kyaing-Tong. Visa information and necessary forms for the Japanese
Tourist and businessmen can obtain even in the Internet by accessing
Myanmar Home Page . - http://www.myanmar.com/ in Japanese section.

As 1996 has been designated Visit Myanmar Year, measures are being
taken in modernizing the infrastructure arrangements to cope with the
influx of tourists. 100,000 tourists are expected in 1996. It will be
a several folds increase of the recent entries of tourists into
Myanmar.  110,045 visitors arrived at Yangon airport in 1996-1997,
according to the Myanmar Data on CD-ROM issued by Central  Satistic
Organization, Ministry of National Planning and Economic Developement.

The Tourist Industry Development Management Committee was formed on 27
April 1994, made up of the ministers, deputy ministers, and heads of
departments and assigned duties to contribute towards development of
the tourist industry. The chairman of the committee is the Secretary
of the State Peace and Developement Council Lt.- Gen Khin Nyunt.

Hotels have been renovated and constructed, not only in Yangon but
also in other major tourist centres like Mandalay, Bagan, Inle and
Taunggyi under joint ventures between the government and foreign
companies. 

Myanmar people lived with own monarchy and sovereignty. As they are
civilized people, Buddhist architecture and art of ten types have
flourished since ancient times. Old Bagan stands witness to that fact.
I had been to Bagan on duty for three times. My impressions of the
first trip and that of the second were found to be not the same. I
noted remarkable progress during my second visit. I wondered at smooth
and straight road newly built between the airport and Bagan new town.
It is known as Anawrahta Road. At my third visit. I witnessed grand
and beautiful Bagan with graceful hotels. shady trees and flowering
plants. My third visit has been beneficial as I saw grand and
beautilul buildings brightly lit street, shady trees, etc. We left for
Bagan by car in the evening of 2nd March to study Kaytumadi Dynasty
Hotel which won International Trophy for Quality, Prize 1997. The
Bagan Express which carried us left Yangon at 3.30 pm reached Bagan at
10 am the next day. Bagan Kaytumadi Dynasty Hotel is located in Bagan
new town. We were warmly welcomed by Managing Director of Lwin,
Consultant U Aung Tun and Hotel Manager U Peter. The Kaytumadi Dynasty
Hotel is not a high-rise building but a composition of group of
cottage's each with toddy palm walling and bamboo matting roof. It is
really a unique sight. 


In a bedroom walled by toddy palm halves, there are two neatly
prepared beds. It' is furnished with air-conditioning fringe,
satellite TV and telephone. Having taken rest in the room under the
care of hospitable waiters, and waitresses of the hotel, we proceeded
to study the knickknacks and souvenirs kept at the hotel. 


According to the explanation given by Managing Director U Kyaw Lin and
party, like-minded Toungoo born youths founded Kaytumadi company and
Kaytumadi Dynasty Hotel was opened under its sponsorship in 1995.
There are 34 bedrooms at preset and plans are afoot to extend to d 74.
The total area of the land on which the hotel stands is 27 acres and
the frontage is 1s000 feet long. Arrangements are under way for
digging a swimming pool and building a tennis court and small scale
golf link. Flowering plants shady trees plantations and a spring-fed
stream have been created so as the guests might feel as if they have
been to a small village. It is also arranged to have a bird's eye view
from a gazebo through 40 times magnifying micro-scope. Thus famous
pagodas of Bagan can be observed: closely. To have unique features,
the hotel was built with local materials.


After the year 1996 had l been designated Visit  Myanmar Year, the
selection  board in Paris on 13 March unanimously awarded
International Trophy for Quality 1997 to the hotel. The award was
given on the recommendation of the media group assigned by the Traders
Club to assess the quality of each hotel after making a study tour
around the world. The Madrid based Traders Club was formed with 112
member nations. Over 12,000  entrepreneurs belong to that club.
Kaytumadi Dynasty Hotel won the award for the first time in Myanmar.
The  award was won not by competition but by spontaneous choice by the
awarding club. Unique achievement and good service of the hotel were
attributed to the winning of the award. The hotel was named Kaytumadi
Dynasty Hotel as it was established by the Kaytumadi Company composed
of the natives of Taungoo (Kaytumadi), the capital of Second Myanmar
Empire of the past. In memory of the toddy palm stockade of U Aung
Zeya, the founder of Third Myanmar Empire, the hotel has been
decorated with toddy palm stems. In a nutshell, the hotel arrangement
is a portrayal of the three great eras in Myanmar history   

Altogether 80 per cent of the tourists coming into Myanmar visit Bagan
ancient city. In choosing   Bagan for running hotel business the
trust-worthiness of its natives might be taken into account. For, they
are simple and honest Incidents of crime arc almost none in Bagan
where lady tourists can go about safely even in the evenings Local and
foreign guests came to Bagan merely for the purpose of paying homage
to ancient pagodas and religious edifices No crook go there The
visitors go there in search of Bagan's beauty and its works of arts.

I am optimistic to contribute with this article to the Myanmar efforts
in promoting the tourism industry in Myanmar.

Soba
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