1. 22 October 2015
I
N JUNE, I spent several
weeks in Myanmar as the
student leader of a George
Washington University gradu-
ate student consulting team.
We were asked by our client,
the Myanmar Ministry of Hotels
and Tourism, to evaluate the
Lake Inle region for opportu-
nities to enhance economic
development through tourism.
The Republic of the Union of
Myanmar is the second-largest
country in the Association
of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN). It is bordered on the
north and northeast by China,
on the east and southeast
by Laos and Thailand, on the
south by the Andaman Sea and
the Bay of Bengal and on the
west by Bangladesh and India.
With a fascinating history, a
wealth of beautiful temples,
pagodas, palaces and colonial
architecture, and 100 distinct
ethnic groups that make up
its population of approxi-
mately 60 million, Myanmar
holds significant cultural and
nature-based tourism oppor-
tunities. However, decades
of isolation have prevented
Myanmar’s tourism industry
from leveraging these assets,
especially in comparison to
neighboring countries for
which tourism is an important
economic driver and employ-
ment generator. Since opening
its borders in 2011, Myanmar
has experienced a sharp rise in
visitation, outpacing all other
ASEAN countries in tourism
arrivals growth in 2014. Last
year, the country welcomed
3.08 million visitors, a surge of
more than 50 percent from the
previous year.
While we were there, Lake
Inle was officially inscribed
as Myanmar’s first UNESCO
Biosphere Reserve. The
Myanmar’s Lake Inle
A fascinating, fragile destination
PHOTOS AND TEXT BY PENNY WHITMAN

2. 23NTAonline.com
highland lake, in the heart of
the Shan Plateau, is home to
diverse and unique species of
birds, fish, snails, otters and
turtles. The beautiful region is
emerging as one of Myanmar’s
prime tourism destinations.
However, the area is environ-
mentally and culturally fragile.
With investment funds flowing
into Myanmar, tourism stake-
holders are concerned that
this area in particular will be
ruined with poorly planned,
mass tourism infrastructure.
Deforestation, the silting up of
the already shallow lake, pollu-
tion from increased motorized
boat traffic, and waste manage-
ment are significant environ-
mental issues.
The local population con-
sists predominantly of Intha,
as well as smaller concentra-
tions of Shan, Taungyo, Pa-O,
Danu, Kayah, Danaw and
Bamar ethnicities. Most resi-
dents live in small villages on
or around the lake in wood
and bamboo houses built on
stilts. Many are farmers or
fishermen who depend on
the lake for their livelihoods.
Farmers grow vegetables and
fruit, especially tomatoes, in
large gardens that float on
the lake’s surface. Lake Inle
fishermen are known for their
distinctive rowing style that
involves standing on one leg
and rowing with the other
wrapped around the oar.
Local products include
produce, meat, poultry and
fish, woven textiles, hand-
made tools, parasols, cheroots
(cigars), jewelry, and prepared
food, which residents trade
at the daily local market.
Transportation is in longboats,
many of which are powered
by large, loud single-cylinder
diesel engines. There are many

3. 24 October 2015
pagodas, monasteries, local
trade workshops, wildlife sanc-
tuaries and even wineries in
the area, and cultural festivals
are held on the lake throughout
the year.
We specifically assessed the
viability of SAVE (scientific, aca-
demic, volunteer, educational)
and community-based tourism
for Lake Inle as well as worked
to facilitate communication
and cooperation among local
stakeholders.
The SAVE market comprises
travelers who visit a destina-
tion to engage in research,
learning or volunteer tourism.
SAVE represents an important
potential market for emerg-
ing destinations such as Inle
Lake since these travelers
don’t demand high-level infra-
structure or five-star accom-
modations. Those attracted to
SAVE experiences tend to be
interested in activities that can
drive natural and cultural heri-
tage preservation and improve
the lives of local people. SAVE
market travelers can bring
expertise and experience that
is potentially helpful to the
local population, while posi-
tively impacting the local econ-
omy. They tend to stay longer,
are willing to travel during the
low season, and often pursue
additional travel before, during
and after their assignments.
Many SAVE travelers provide
positive word-of-mouth mar-
keting through social networks.
Upon completion of research,
fieldwork and analysis, our
team concluded that the region
has tremendous potential to
develop further as a competi-
tive and sustainable tourism
destination. Currently, however,
insufficient infrastructure,
resources and regulation of the
everyday use of environmental
Myanmar people apply
thanaka, a paste made
from tree bark, to their
skin for sun protection.

4. 25NTAonline.com
resources and tourism activities
are indeed seriously threaten-
ing the region’s environmental
stability and cultural heritage.
We offered specific recom-
mendations for environmental
conservation, suggested for-
mats for training to develop
entrepreneurial, foreign lan-
guage and hospitality skills in
the community, and offered
suggestions for improve-
ments to existing tourism
products and the development
of new ones to diversify and
strengthen the experiences
available to visitors. These rec-
ommendations are intended to
assist community leaders and
tourism industry stakeholders
to manage the challenges in
their region, culture and liveli-
hoods and take hold of oppor-
tunities to build a thriving, sus-
tainable destination.
Penny Whitman is editor of
Courier magazine and currently
studying sustainable destina-
tion management and tourism
as international development
at The George Washington
University in Washington,
D.C. The information in this
article is derived from the
GWU consulting team’s final
report, “Enhancing Economic
Development through Tourism
in Myanmar’s Lake Inle Region:
A Situational Analysis, Strategy
and Action Plan,” which was
submitted to the Myanmar
Ministry of Hotels and Tourism
in August. For more informa-
tion about the team’s recom-
mendations or our experiences
in Myanmar, contact Whitman
at pbwhit@gwmail.gwu.edu.
For Myanmar travel product
information, visit myanmar.
travel or reach the Myanmar
Tourism Federation North
America at +1.202.747.3247.