(Pathein, 18th) – According to the Ayeyarwady Region Hotel and Tourism Department, as of October 15th this year, and including the Thadingyut (Festival of Lights) holidays, the three major beaches under Pathein District—Ngwehsaung, Chaungtha, and Shwethaungyan—attracted a total of 1,035,448 local and foreign tourist visits.
During just the four-day Thadingyut holiday period from October 4th to 7th, Pathein city received 4,881 visitors, Ngwehsaung 16,699, Chaungtha 15,391, and Shwethaungyan 680, totaling 37,651.
From January to mid-October this year, Ngwehsaung Beach received a cumulative total of 247,778 visitors, while Chaungtha and Shwethaungyan together saw 200,439, bringing Pathein’s total arrivals to over one million.
U Aung Thu Oo, the Director of the Ayeyarwady Region Hotel and Tourism Department, noted that although the 2024 Thadingyut holiday will be one day longer than this year, tourist numbers have remained high. He pointed out that with the upcoming Tazaungdine holiday, about 60% of the hotel rooms in Ngwehsaung, Chaungtha, and Shwethaungyan were already booked, and the booking rate for the national holiday period has reached 70%, with expectations of further increases as the holidays approach.
He said tourism revenue not only benefits business owners, but also drives local social and economic development, calling on relevant sectors to work together to attract more visitors and jointly promote prosperity in Ayeyarwady Region’s tourism industry.
Industry insiders said that during the Festival of Lights, domestic travelers mostly headed to Bagan and beach resorts, and it is expected that more foreign tourists will visit during the upcoming open season.