UNDP/MYA/86/019 FOR INTERNAL USE O N L Y : Assignment Report N O T F O R G E N E R A L DISTRIBUTION Conservation of Cultural Heritage at Selected Sites in M y a n m a r

MYANMAR

The Redevelopment of Tourism in Myanmar and a Conservation/ Tourism Plan for Pagan

by

R. E. Collins G . E. Lipp

The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of U N E S C O

UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTDJTC A N D CULTURAL ORGANIZATION (UNESCO)

Paris, 1992

Serial N ° : F M R / C L T / C H / 9 2 / 2 2 7 ( U N D P )

UNDP/MYA/86/019 Assignment Report (Collins/Lipp) FMR/CLT/CH/92/227(UNDP) Paris, 28 September 1992

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

List of Acronyms

I. INTRODUCTION

II. OVERVIEW OF TOURISM

Cultural Tourism Historic Tourism Data Constraints to Future Prospects Recommendations on Packages

III. TOURISM PRODUCT IN PAGAN

Constraints Affecting the Area Specific Advantages of the Area Recommendations on Presentation Relationship of Visitors to Human and

Natural Environment

IV. VISITOR POTENTIAL IN PAGAN

Recommended Quality Source Marketing Minimum Facility Improvements Interpretation and Presentation Conservation Philosophy: A Tourism Observation Attainable Visitor Levels Visitor Involvement

V. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS Existing Revenue Sources Conservation Expenditure Requirements International Recognition Financing Conservation Projects International Associations Direct Tourism Support

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Summary of Conclusions and Recommendations

Cultural tourism or 'niche tourism'1 could succeed in Myanmar

The product is excellent; there is variety; there are long traditions, there is colour and there are smiling people. The 'niche' travellers would come. They are an appropriate clientele for a country that is concerned about the impacts of tourism on its own national traditions, they come, they spend and they leave, however, it is important to remember the 'quality' and 'value for money' requirements of these •niche' travellers.

Re-activate the seven night/eight day tours of Myanmar

This is the only kind of tourism that Myanmar should pursue in the next five years.

- It will require further planning and study and, even then, will depend on domestic stability and controlled inflation.

- This would require new airline companies (in-season), airplanes and new coaches. It would not require new hotels. When renovations are completed, the Strand Hotel could be the pace-setter; it will set exactly the right world-class tone for marketing of the package tours.

- Once aircraft and coaches are available, the tours should start and there should be an immediate programme to up­grade the other hotels, the food and the service. This should be the exclusive priority for the next five years. The tours should only be offered out of Bangkok and Singapore, the two major southeast Asian cities with relatively frequent and convenient international connections to Yangon.

- One wholesale travel agency in each of these cities should be appointed to represent MTT. Because of access to computer reservation systems, the tour wholesale subsidiaries of Thai International Airlines, Royal Orchid Holidays, and of Singapore Airlines, Tradewinds Tours, would be appropriate representatives. All admission and camera fees should be included in the tour package price.

Perceived negative impacts of tourism

Well conceived and well managed tourism can be acceptable, appropriate and profitable.

Foreign exchange policies

The policy that foreigners pay for their accommodation, meals and tours in foreign currency should be continued.

A description of what is meant by "niche tourism" can be found in Part II, page 3 of this report.

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Foreign exchange problems arise when kyats are purchased by the tourist as their buying power is only a fraction of what they cost.

Entry formalities

- Obtaining a visa to visit Myanmar is an unacceptably long and tedious process. An Embassy abroad is the visitor's first contact with the nation and first impressions are important.

- The visa application process must be simple and speedy. The forms must be simple, smaller and less numerous than those now used. Arrival formalities are an even more important moment for successful tourism. Passport, currency and customs officers must be diligent, but their work should be conducted with an attitude of hospitality

Transportation requirements

The attractions of Myanmar are, unfortunately in respect to ease of access, widely spread out. With road and railway conditions as they are, the most logical mode of transport to the attractions is by air. The present lack of dedicated aircraft for tourism will have a marked effect on tourist volumes until an acceptable solution is found.

A realistic range of total tourist arrivals by 1966 will be:

Between 13,000 and 16,000 (the latter will, according to the consultants, be the maximum that can be achieved by 1996) . These levels can only be achieved if adequate air transportation becomes available. Less critical, but still important, will be the provision of more comfortable coaches. The quality of all services must be improved, an important requirement that can easily be achieved.

The strand Hotel This well-known landmark is worthy of restoration. From a conservation point of view it will be splendid to have it in use again and it should be used as the flagship hotel of the HTS chain and the centre-piece for the revived tourism described in this report. This should be the only hotel in Yangon offered for the revived package tours that are described in this report. No more '5-star' hotels should be contemplated for some time.

The Plains of Pagan The most advantageous feature of The Plains of Pagan is the easy internal access to monuments that will interest tourists of various tastes. Accommodation provided in the 68-room Thiripyitsaya Hotel should be adequate in the near term, however, it needs to bring 'service' into line with its rating in the country.

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This is a world-class archaeological site; and now a good tourist destination. With a well focused plan it could be an exceptional tourist attraction. To be great, it will have to become world-known for the quality of the conservation work being conducted. Conservation of monuments will be the theme of the one-day visit to the Plains of Pagan in the presentation plan envisaged in this report.

- The main professional headquarters for the Department of Archaeology should be transferred to the Walled City of Pagan. There has been a 'presentation' problem due to the fact that Tourist Burma and now MTT provide the guides in Pagan. Tourism has been 'up front', however conservation should take the lead in presentation. The new signs that are being installed at the monument sites in Pagan, i.e., the white concrete 'blocks' with black lettering, could be more attractive if they were done in the style of the ancient 'tablets'. The search to discover facts and artefacts should be the basis for the tourism/conservation presentation.

A new and imaginatively designed Pagan Conservation Centre. This Centre must be professionally run if it is to expect aid or to attract foundation projects. There must be a clear, international understanding that this centre is independent and scholarly. The quality of the scholarship will determine the level of the gifts, financial aid and participation by foreign archaeological study groups. The Centre will provide the most important opportunity for international exchange. That is why the design must be especially friendly, responsive and sensitive.

Revenue sources

- The primary source of revenue of the Department of Archaeology for the Plains of Pagan is the conservation budget allocation from the central government. During the 1991/92 fiscal year, the State Law and Order Restoration Council allocated about kyats 650,000 for Pagan operations. In addition, in 1991/92 approximately kyats 6.5 million were allocated for special projects in the Plains of Pagan.

- Once a Conservation Master Plan is adopted for the Plains of Pagan, a list of research and excavation priorities can be established. Assistance on projects can be stimulated by notices in professional journals. The Conservation Centre should certainly be designated as the supervisory office for all such projects. Other governments, foundations and private donors will ask what is being done by the people of Myanmar to assist in the conservation of Pagan. Frequently donors will match local efforts or will give more knowing there is a local effort.

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There should be a regular programme to raise funds within the country for Pagan. The revitalized tourist package should include a 'conservation' component of US$100 to replace all of the entry and camera fees now being charged. Approximately $60 of this would be for use in the Plains of Pagan, or $780,000 or more by 1996.

Expenditure needs

A majority of the critical structural restoration projects which arose from the 1975 earthquake had been completed by 1986. There remain, however, more than 2,000 monuments which still require restoration. The administrative and maintenance requirements of the Pagan branch of the Department of Archaeology will be ongoing and should continue to be funded in the government budget. A portion of the funds needed for the restoration and research activities of the branch will also come from this source. However, funding requirements of certain projects, including implementation of a portion of the recommendations of this report, may have to come from outside sources.

Restoration and presentation in the Walled City of Pagan

The excavation work currently under way in the Walled City illustrates that the 'vision' for Pagan must be long-term, up to 50 or 100 years. Plans for restoration within this area cannot be accurately formulated until more is known about what occurred there in its prime. Only the completion of the entire excavation process will provide answers to what life was like and how it should, in the future, be presented. As important as the excavation process is, there should also be research capabilities proposed for the Conservation centre as well. The questions raised by the excavations will have to be answered and expertise developed. The Conservation Centre should be the vehicle for this requirement.

Pagan is clearly a world-class site.

The Government should be encouraged to ratify the World Heritage Convention. It could then propose Pagan for inscription on the World Heritage List. The tourism value of a World Heritage Site is widely recognized within the industry.

Private sector tourism enterprises

The activities of a Tourist Enterprise as defined in the Myanmar Tourism Law (1990) should initially be limited to the handling of domestic travellers.

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List of Acronyms

MMT Myanmar Travels and Tours

HTS Hotels and Tourism Service

DOA Department of Archaeology

WTO World Tourist Office

FAO Food and Agriculture Organization

ICOMOS International Council on Monuments and Sites

ICOM International Council of Museums

IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources

ICCROM International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and the Restoration of Cutural Property, Rome

PATA Pacific Asia Travel Association

MYA/86/019 - Conservation of Cultural Heritage at Selected Sites in Myanmar

Assignment Report

I. INTRODUCTION

1. This study was conducted in Pagan, Myanmar, by UNESCO consultants Robertson E. Collins and George E. Lipp from 7 to 28 October 1991. The terms of reference of the mission were as follows:

a. Within the framework of the UNDP/UNESCO project for the conservation of earthquake damaged temples in Pagan, Myanmar, undertake a three week mission to Myanmar to advise the Myanmar Government on cultural tourism. In particular:

analyse and improve the existing touristic development of Pagan;

Explore, in co-operation with the national agencies concerned (Department of Archaeology, Hotel and Tourism Corporation [now Myanmar Hotels and Tourism Services], Township authorities, etc.), the possibilities of improving the presentation of the site, the monuments and museums and linking them with the human»and natural environment. Adequate measures should be proposed to involve the national and international visitors in the conservation process and to increase their awareness with a view to extend the benefits of touristic development and voluntary contributions to the financial needs of maintenance and preservation of cultural heritage;

- Elaborate market-based financial figures to rationalize the tourism potential of conservation projects with a view to fund raising activities;

b. In collaboration with the division or unit concerned, supply in writing, with a view to the preparation of evaluation statements, data on:

The main achievement of the activities and the practical results obtained thereby or the final outcome of the activities;

Unforeseen results;

The difficulties encountered in implementing the activities;

The lessons learned; and

Other information concerning evaluation of the activities.

2. Consequently, upon their arrival in Myanmar, the consultants met with the UNDP Programme Officer for the project, the Deputy Director of the Department of Archaeology (DOA) and its liaison officer for the project, as well as other DOA executives, and the Manager of Myanmar Travels and Tours (MTT) which is the subsidiary of Myanmar Hotels and Tourism services (HTS), responsible for tourism packages in Myanmar.

3. UNDP provided copies of the Action Programme and Main Report of the National Tourism Development Plan and Prefeasibility Analysis (1983), the Executive Summary and Volumes 1,4 and 5 of the Burma Tourism Study (February 1988) and the Study on Pagan Research Report (1989); DOA provided copies of the technical reports on the restoration of Pagan, and MTT provided data on holiday tourist arrivals from 1981 to 1990 by country of nationality.

4. Based on their review of these reports and data, the Consultants suggested that it would be important to achieve a broad overview of the major tourist attractions in Myanmar, particularly those included in the major packages offered in the mid-1980s. The Deputy Director, DOA agreed, and arrangements were made to visit the Inle Lake area and Mandalay before continuing to Pagan. Typical MTT tours were taken in all three areas and meetings were held with representatives of DOA in the latter two. Because of the official visit to the area by Secretary 1 of the State Law and Order Restoration Council, the consultants were unable to meet with township authorities in Pagan.

5. Before their departure from Yangon, the consultants visited attractions offered to tourists in that city and, on their return, those in Pegu. It was stated that Syr iam was not an archaeological site, so that visit was officially cancelled. The colonial sites may not be popular now, but professionally, all of the resources of the country's past should be considered valuable and, if nothing else, seen as tourist resources.

6. In summary, the work programme included the following:

A review of Myanmar data pertaining to holiday visitor arrivals, length of stay, activities undertaken, etc;

A review of other consultants' data pertaining to future projections of visitor arrivals and patterns pertaining to this;

Visits to all of the significant attractions offered to visitors;

Interviews with government officials, MTT as the operator of tours to attractions, DOA as conservator of archaeological sites, and other knowledgeable parties.

Determination of the future tourist market performance in Myanmar and its implications on visits to the plains of Pagan together with usage by the local population.

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- Preparation of a financial analysis regarding potential sources of funding for Pagan conservation projects.

7. Two factors complicated the preparation of this report and remain inherent in it:

a. The current inflation rate which is approximately 135 percent per annum made it difficult to evaluate past financial figures and current cost information. There is no doubt about the findings and projections in this report, but inflation of this order obviously complicates all planning.

b. Tourism arrivals dropped from 41,904 in 1987 to 8,968 in 1990. This was not just a drop off in numbers; this has meant a collapse of the tourism 'plant'. Hotels and buses have aged with disuse and there has been a dispersal of the managerial and operating staffs. Ancillary services providers, e.g., souvenir manufacturers and vendors, lost their patrons and those people turned elsewhere for survival. For all practical purposes this means that the study did not deal with a revival of tourism in Mynamar; it is a matter of starting over.

II. OVERVIEW OF TOURISM

Cultural Tourism

8. The term 'cultural tourism' is widely used among academic tourism specialists. It has defied definition in what the consultants refer to as the 'real world1 of travel. This sub­section was prepared in an attempt to define it and to assist the reader in understanding what instead may be best described as •niche travel'.

9. A 'niche' tourism is a special kind of tourism and it attracts a special kind of visitor. 'Niche' travel is not mass tourism; it is not big numbers; it is dedicated to a certain group rather than being wide ranging and it is not for everyone. It is small: small groups, small clever hotels, small buses, expert guides, sometimes accompanied by lecturers.

10. Accommodation for the 'niche' traveller is customized, using local handicraft materials and designs. The food is ethnic whenever possible. Shopping is incidental to sightseeing, and the travellers want to see the handicrafts made. They make personal purchases and seldom buy souvenir items.

11. If there are 'cultural shows' they are not on a stage but are present on-site and there is interchange with the performers after the performance.

12. 'Niche' travel tends to be intellectual or educational; one could say elitist. It is certainly, by its nature, up-market. These people will fly business or first class.

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13. It is important to remember that 'niche* travel attracts:

a. On the one hand, people who can afford five-star hotels. They know the best food and drinks; they have been everywhere and have done everything. However, when they travel they seek something new, something unlike anything at home. They will relish a small hotel if it has a clean bath and heavy towels. They will enjoy modest transportation if it is different and if it is taking them somewhere remarkable.

b. On the other hand, highly educated people such as university faculty members, lawyers, doctors, small business owners or self-employed specialists. Because they have travelled extensively, they bring a sharp, intellectual energy to their travels. They are enthusiastic and friendly.

14. 'Niche' tourists are not high-society, jet-set people. They are seeking a new experience but expect value for their money. They will pay but will not tolerate mediocrity. They are environmentally conscious back home and expect a similar sensitivity at the places they visit. They are apt to have convictions about human rights and political freedom, but they are not activists or meddlers. They will be curious about local politics and customs, but not missionary or argumentative. They relish differences.

15. It must also be remembered that there is competition in this field. They will not come automatically; there are other choices. Eastern Europe has recently opened. Vietnam has a tourist office and is participating in regional tourist associations. Laos has welcomed visitors. Cambodia already welcomes charters and no doubt conservation and tourism at Angkor will be early initiatives of the new government.

16. In summary, cultural or 'niche' tourism could succeed in Myanmar. The product is excellent and there is variety. There are long traditions, there is colour and there are smiling people. The 'niche' travellers would come. They are an appropriate clientele for a small country or for a country that is just entering tourism and is concerned about the impacts of tourism on its own national traditions. They come, they spend and they leave. They would be ideal for Myanmar. However, it is indispensable not to underestimate the importance of the questions of quality and value for money if this group is going to be attracted to Myanmar.

Historic Tourism Data

17. The first National Tourism Development Plan for the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma (now Myanmar) was published in 1983 by UNDP/WTO based on field work conducted between July and November 1982. According to that First Phase report, total arrivals had increased from 14,996 in 1971 to 42,690 in 1981, while tourist arrivals increased from 11,529 in

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1971 to 28,080 in 1981. (Hereafter in this report 'tourist' refers to holiday visitors only and not the accepted WTO definition of all overnight and longer visitors.)

18. The report further projected total target arrivals of 104,400 in the fiscal year 1989/1990 (April to March), of which 83,000 would be tourists.

19. The Burma Tourism Study was published in February 1988 based on field work conducted between december 1985 and January 1988. The Second Phase report indicated that tourist arrivals had increased from 27,300 in the fiscal year 1980/1981 to 41,600 in 1986/1987. It further projected that tourist levels would increase to 146,000 in the fiscal year 1991/1992.

20. Subsequent to the publication of the Burma Tourism Study, the political situation in Myanmar underwent turmoil which will be discussed later in this section. Tourist arrivals declined from 41,904 in the calendar year 1987 to 22,251 and further to 5,044 in 1989. There was a modest numerical increase to 8,968 in 1990.

21. The following table illustrates historic tourist arrivals. It should be noted that some data is for calendar years and others for fiscal years.

1971

1980/ 81

1981

1986/ 87

1987

1989/ 90

1990

1991/ 92

NB: Inc

Actual

No.

11,529

28,070

41,904

8,968

rease re

Increase

9.5%

6.9%

-78.6%

presents c

UNDP First Phase Report

No.

27,272

52,000

83,000

iverage <.

Increase

11.5%

16.9%

innual per<

UNDP Second Phase Report

No.

27,300

41,700

146,000

rentage c

Increase

7.4%

28.5%

hange from the previous period shown.

The tourist target of 52,000 for 1986/1987 in the First Phase Report may appear to be optimistic, however, the projected growth level of 11.5 percent per annum may not have been unrealistic based on the previous ten year growth level of 9.5 percent per annum.

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22. The Second Phase Report projection of tourist growth at 28.5 percent per annum to 1991/1992 was overstated. The executive summary of Volume 4 stated "From about 1992/1993 the Burmese Government has decided to change the speed of tourism development.." not in 1986/1987 as projected. Further, the projection was unrealistic because (a) although actual growth between 1971 and 1981 was 9.5 percent per annum, it fell to 6.9 percent per annum between 1981 and 1987, (b) actual growth in tourist arrivals as set forth in that report, i.e, the six years ending in March 1987, was only 7.4 percent per annum, and (c) there were far too many caveats, e.g., international and domestic air access, vehicles and accommodation, etc., to warrant growth at a level above that experienced anywhere else in Asia including destinations with adequate and, more importantly, appropriate infrastructure.

23. Because of a major reduction in tourist arrivals as a consequence of the 1988 disturbances, the projects and much of the data in these previous reports could not be relied upon. There is, however, certain data in respect to attractions, transportation and accommodation that will be valuable reference material.

Constraints to Future Prospects

Political

24. The political present and future of Myanmar is far beyond the scope of this contract. The consultants only spent three weeks in the country. However, as speciality professionals, it is impossible to avoid some political observations which bear on tourism development in Myanmar.

25. There is one outstanding problem which must be addressed: inflation is non-partisan. At present, inflation is destructive (over 100%) , and may make any development of tourism impossible. Tourists have political opinions and perceptions of the places they visit. They will make observations and will go home with judgements. However, they are not activists and are not in a country long enough to be meddlers.

26. Tourists learn from a visit to a new country. The residents of a country also learn from contact with tourists. However, this exchange is not as important as the already-existing impact of international information in and out of a country by radio, television and printed media.

Observation: The trade-off for any possible negative impacts of tourism is that the flow of hard currency from the type of tourism outline in this report can be dramatic. The number of jobs created in tourism or related services can also be significant.

27. The development of tourism requires a commitment by the political leaders. This is an activity that cuts a wide swath across many government departments. Under the Myanmar Tourism

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Law of 20 June 1990, Government shall form the Myanmar Tourism Commission which is empowered to 'lay down the policies of Tourism'. Further, in order to operate the tourist industry systematically, Government shall form a Directorate to carry out the policies laid down by the Commission. It does not specifically call for an inter-governmental agency committee, however, this Commission and Directorate should be the vehicle used to facilitate efficient and timely tourism planning activities.

Recommendation: The Government of Myanmar should look at tourism development as an opportunity, not a threat. Well-conceived and well-managed tourism can be acceptable, appropriate and very profitable.

Unrealistic Exchange Rates

28. The prerogative of Government to set exchange rates is without question. However, when the exchange rate prescribed is patently unrealistic it will affect visitor satisfaction and hence place the country at a competitive disadvantage with other destinations. Examples of how this opinion was measured include (using US currency):

a. Typically, in most destinations, a tourist postcard costs about 15 to 25 cents; in Myanmar they cost kyats 5 (83 cents) to as high as kyats 20 ($3.33). Postcards are generally sent>.or taken home and are a marketing tool that helps sell a destination.

b. Woven baskets that sell elsewhere for around $3 are priced at around kyats 150 ($25).

c. Although the official price of motor spirit is kyats 16 ($2.67), it costs kyats 200 ($33.33) or more for many vehicle operators.

d. At $30.000, a Chinese meal for four in Yangon costs kyats 900 ($150).

e. Local beer sells elsewhere for $1 or $2; in Myanmar it costs kyats 35 or almost $6.

f. Produce in the local markets priced in kyats are five to ten times higher when current exchange rates are applied than similar produce in local markets of other destinations.

29. The policy that foreigners pay for their accommodation, meals and tours in foreign currencies is acceptable and should be continued. The problem in foreign exchange at present applies to the actual value of kyats after they are purchased by the tourist. Kyats are worth far less than they cost when used to purchase goods and services.

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Entry Formalities

30. At present, obtaining a visa to visit Myanmar is an unacceptably long and tedious process. An Embassy abroad is the visitor's first contact with the nation. First impressions are important. The success of all of the tourism planning and investment flows from the manners and attitudes that a Government projects at its Embassy's visa counter.

31. The visa application process must be simple and speedy. Some countries issue visa at the counter. Two days for an Embassy to process an application is ordinary, five days intolerable.

32. The forms must be simple, far smaller and less numerous than those now is used. With computers, copying machines and facsimiles, the Government can develop all of the information it needs for a rapid orderly review and approval.

33. Arrival formalities are an even more important moment for successful tourism. Passport, currency and customs officers must be diligent, but their work should be conducted with an attitude of hospitality.

34. Airports need not be noisy, crowded and difficult for the traveller. Around the world airports are judged not on their size or investment but on their friendly and efficient handling of the visitor's arrival and departure.

35. This report suggests a small, up-market kind of tourism and these visitors will expect and appreciate an intelligent arrival process. The Myanmar guides should meet the visitor as early as possible on arrival and stay with him as long as possible before his departure. This will be feasible if all tourists arrive on prearranged packages as suggested.

Domestic Transportation

36. The attractions of Myanmar are, unfortunately in respect to ease of access, widely spread out. It is 620 km (385 miles) from Yangon, the international entry point in the south, to Mandalay, the northernmost centre of consolidated attractions.

37. With road and railway conditions as they are, the most logical mode of transportation to the attractions is by air. The charter system used by Tourist Burma (Now MTT) for the air transportation of package tourists in the mid-80s was an ideal solution to the need. However, with a substantial decrease in the volume of tourism and an increased domestic demand, this solution does not appear to be available for the immediate future.

38. This constraint will have a marked effect on the volume of tourists until an acceptable solution is found in the way of more aircraft or improved airports.

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39. Railway travel will not alleviate the problem as the Pagan Plains, the principal attraction of Myanmar, are about 150 km (94 miles) from the nearest railway station at Thazi and the vehicles available for this are not of acceptable quality.

40. Without the dedication of substantial hard currency for the expansion or up-grading of the fleet of Myanma Airways or an alternative carrier designed for the loop service, there does not appear to be any ready solution to this major problem in tourism expansion. However 'niche' travellers, fewer in numbers with higher expenditure levels, may provide the answer to the transportation problem and could be profitable. A detailed study is recommended.

Accommodation and Restaurants

41. The hotel star rating system in Myanmar, a bit like the foreign exchange situation, is unrealistic. Ratings of hotels should include consideration of service as well as facilities. Neither of the four star hotels meet both requirements, while some of the three star hotels are far superior in many respects to those with a higher classification.

42. The international visitor, particularly 'niche' tourists, expect the product to be as advertised. If they are told there will be a four star hotel, they will expect it to correspond to their definition of that quality. It must be provided.

43. While the consultants were in Pagan, a high government official came to stay at the hotel. During the three days before his arrival, the staff were scurrying about to mow, trim, wax and paint to get ready for him. This is not meant to criticize the management or the staff, but to point out how the drop-off of tourist arrivals has affected the level of operations and the condition of the infrastructure. A four star hotel should be able to accept a VIP at any moment. That is what VIP means. More importantly, the four star rating implies that every guest is a VIP.

44. The Strand Hotel, a well-known landmark, is worthy of restoration and it is being done with style and heavy investment. From a conservation point of view, it will be splendid to have it in use again and it should be used as the flagship hotel of the HTS chain and the centrepiece for the revived tourism described in this report. However, as accommodation, it will be an anomaly. The place for a five star hotel in a country in which tourism has collapsed and is trying to be revived will be difficult. Two questions arise:

a. Will there be sufficient guests coming to the hotel to make it profitable, and

b. Will it be possible to find and afford all the required goods and services needed to operate a five star hotel in Myanmar?

Certainly no more five star hotels should be contemplated for some time.

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45. However, the Strand Hotel's position as the flagship hotel of the HTS chain makes it important that its operation succeed. This should be the only hotel offered to the revived package tours described below. The package tour will start with two nights at the Strand and one night before departure.

46. HTS operates practically all of the hotels in Myanmar, however there is a great divergence in the quality of services among them. It would appear that there is no central quality control and no effort made to take advantage of the skills available through the organization. For example:

a. The quality of towels at Taunggyi Hotel was far superior to those in any other hotel the consultants visited.

b. The pricing for laundry services varied from hotel to hotel.

c. Fresh mixed fruit, including papaya, was offered as dessert with dinner at the Ayeyar Hotel in Pagan, while the four star Thiripyitsaya Hotel in the same community could not provide papaya when requested for breakfast from the second until the fifth day of the consultants' stay.

47. The standard pattern of package tours in Myanmar (which the consultants believe should be revived) dictates that meals are to be taken at a new hotel each day. At present, no effort is made to assure a variety of fare from one hotel to the next. A guest can easily have chicken curry every day at a transit point and dinner during a four day circuit in the north. Breakfast is universally canned or bottled juice, toast, eggs and tea or coffee. Thankfully there are several ways to cook eggs.

Recommendations on Packages

Concept for Tourism Development Myanmar

48. The people responsible for tourism in Myanmar should think in terms of small numbers of tourists but big spenders. The seven night/eight day tours should be reactivated but aimed at a new market segment:

2 nights in Yangon at the Strand Hotel 1 night in Taunggyi 1 night in Kalaw 1 night in Mandalay 1 night in Pagan 1 night in Yangon at the Strand

49. This could be re-started with a minimum investment. The single loop could be started first and the reverse loop added later. Nothing else should be proposed for the next five years. Business visitors should be allowed to travel independently as required. No effort should be made to attract or accommodate budget travellers. Individual visitors should not be encouraged.

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The single, and then the double, loop system should be made to work and then continuously ungraded as the cash flow develops.

50. The former package was an excellent tour. By appealing to a higher income group, its revival could make money and provide jobs.

Observation: This is the only kind of tourism Myanmar should pursue in the next five years. It will require further planning and study and, even then, will depend on domestic stability and controlled inflation.

51. Initially, this would require new, dedicated, in-season airplanes and a completely new fleet of buses. It would not require new hotels. Using the Strand as the pacesetter for the quality of the tours will set exactly the right world-class tone for marketing the package tours. It will give the hotel an excellent international image. More importantly, it will provide a basic core business for the hotel. (By itself, the Strand would have difficulty servicing its debt for many years.) This regular traffic could boost its occupancy levels dramatically.

52. The existing hotels along the route should be improved with new bathrooms, furniture, linens, decor, air-conditioning and kitchens. This should be more clever than expensive. The work should be done in the off-season. The Strand management and their consultants should be used to supervise the up-grading and to assist in the management of the HTS hotels in Taunggyi, Kalaw, Mandalay and Pagan.

53. The following Suggestions of Tour Improvements are made:

a. Consider reviving the name TOURIST BURMA. It is a fine name. It is highly recognized and is distinctive. (In Sri Lanka, for example, tourism continues to be managed by the Ceylon Tourist Board.)

b. Buses should be small and air-conditioned but built with strong comfortable seats and sufficient leg room and luggage storage space. The present 22-seat coach should be replaced by similar size buses which have 16 seats.

c. There should be a portable plastic cooler for towels and bottled water on each bus. A radio or speaker system is not necessary.

d. Plastic bottles of water in the two-cup size should be available everywhere along the route. They fit into handbags and can simplify stops.

e. A locally made toilet kit suitable for an eight-day stay should be created with TOURIST BURMA printed on it, an advertising piece but stylish and also cost-efficient. The tourist should find in it a bar of soap in a plastic box, shampoo, a sewing kit, etc. This way the tourist carries his own things, the hotels do not have to stock similar supplies, and the visitor takes home a name-brand souvenir.

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f. Postcards should be improved and sold at cost. Posters in mailing tubes should be available. They should be seen as advertising pieces and not as a source of profit. Stamps should be readily available at all hotels.

i. Hotel stationary should be as 'local' as possible and eventually different in each hotel. Anything tourists take home is advertising.

j. All admission and camera fees should be included in the tour package price.

k. No tipping, the service charge should be included. Adequate compensation to guides, drivers, bellmen, waiters,room attendants, etc should be foreseen in the package rate.

III. TOURISM PRODUCT IN PAGAN

Constraints Affecting the Area

54. All of the constraints affecting the future prospects of tourism as set forth in the previous section affect Pagan. The most critical constraint, however, is domestic transportation. Without frequent and convenient air transportation from Yangon and other northern s attraction centres, i.e. Mandalay and the areas served from Heho Airport, Pagan will not achieve its visitor potential.

55. A workable level of tourist traffic can be established. There are sufficient attractions to draw the visitors to the sites and accommodation is adequate for the foreseeable future, i.e. the next five years. The demand beyond that period will depend on factors beyond the scope of this study.

56. Pagan is probably the critical element in tourism development in Myanmar.

Specific Advantages of the Area

Cultural Amenities

57. The Plains of Pagan are very impressive. The extensive, over-the-horizon accumulation of sharp spires and blunted, crumbling mounds is awesome and captivating.

58. Visited one by one, the monuments continue to hold ones interest. For the average tourist, after five, ten, finally twenty sites, a check-list mentality takes over and repetition sets in. The attention span falls. This is mainly because the average tourist does not know enough before arriving and does not learn enough as he/she visits. This is a problem of presentation addressed elsewhere in this report.

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59. The "straight arrow" paved road (referred to locally as Suharto Road) is a cruel slash across the site. It has been there for twenty years and still looks wrong. One simply has to ride along the old access road to the Walled City of Pagan to understand this. Still, since so much effort is being made to re-establish the walled city area as an archaeological park, this straight road will relieve traffic there, but there is no point in trying to landscape or beautify it.

60. The river front is nicely presented at the Thiripyitsaya and Pagan (Thande) Hotels and is excellent at the Bupaya Pagoda. It could be better at the Ayeyar Hotel.

61. The pony carts are quite special and every effort should be made to incorporate a ride in one as a part of every visit. They offer a totally different experience, both of time and space.

62. With the new outer loop presently under construction and the inner proposed loop roads, it should be possible to restrict the inner loop to pony cart traffic. This might be advisable within the Walled City area as well. It would give steady work for the cart drivers and would provide the visitors with excellent conditions for visiting the site.

63. If it develops that an extra night could be scheduled at Pagan, the carts should be used exclusively and coach access could be restricted in most of the plains areas.

The Walled City of Pagan

64. There is a distinct loss to the visitor's experience now that the people have been moved out of the old walled city. Such drastic clearance is difficult to justify in either archaeological or tourism plans. The area is undoubtedly important from an historical point of view and worthy of study. There had been some illegal digging but it is regrettable that some long-term relocation programme could not have been worked out.

65. The walled city is large enough for several generations of excavations and too large for a park development, but what is done is done and now a visionary master plan for the Walled City should be created. The excavation schedule should be established as far forward as possible. The digging should be the first priority but the rest of this large walled area should receive some attention.

66. The crowded collection of people gave a bustling quality and, for the visitor, provided a hint of the past which is now missing. During its prime in the 12th century, this must have been a crowded, noisy place and since kings will not return, it would have been nice if at least the common people had been allowed to stay on.

67. By itself, Pagan is a lonely place. It has become lonelier and less attractive for the loss of its resident population.

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68. The spaces between the temples stimulate the imagination. From the tablets, it seems that there were homes all over this area and that the temples were built near them. Obviously they were wood, but were they large? Were they farms? Slaves were often donated to the temple; where did they come from? What was their function in society? Did the donor stay and live adjacent to the property he had given? These temples and pagodas represent a very materialistic display of faith. How was the wealth accumulated? Where was the business district? Where were the schools and centers of learning? Was the Walled City just for the royal entourage and government? Were merchants and tradespeople allowed within the walled areas? Did a man have several wives; where and how did they live? The efforts of future excavations should address these types of questions.

69. Did Mandalay architecture derive from Pagan? If so, this story should be told and documented. At Ava, there is a wooden monastery built with great teak posts. It is only 150 years old, but the dim interior has an air of medieval design and ancient mustiness; one feels that a 12th century king could have lived in such a structure. Though it might change, a drawing should be placed by all excavations with the most recent conjecture of its original appearance and environs.

Nyaung-U

70. Since the residential quality of Old Pagan has been lost, it is all the more important that Nyaung-U be well presented.

71. There are some splendid rows of trees in the town and some nice local housing. Fences have been built and painted but more should be done to increase civic pride, at least along the road leading to and from the market and on to the Walled City of Pagan.

72. Some of the side streets look clean and pleasing. A trip to the Nyaung-U post office might be a more important stop than the market.

73. The market will be moved into new facilities but will still not be a particularly remarkable tourist visit. More colourful markets are visited at several other stops, e.g., Taunggyi and Kalaw. The time in Pagan is limited and the market stop could easily be eliminated. This would cut out a possibility of contact with the local people, but the market is not that good and it would be no loss.

74. The residents' access to Shwezigon Pagoda appears to be unsatisfactory. It should seem better connected to the town and the townspeople. A better path and some planting might be studied.

75. The tourist should enter the site the way the townspeople do, by the east entrance. At present, tourists are driven across a field to the side of the south entrance.

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Handicrafts

76. A very distinctive item in the Nyaung-U market is the palm branch furniture. This is commonly used at roadside eating places. It is very stylish. Samples could be used in the hotels. In limited numbers, it might sell. Prices for delivery abroad should be established.

77. The sisal and hemp products at the market are also interesting. They have texture and lots of possibilities. A handicraft expert should be brought in to see what could be developed with these materials and the workers' dexterity.

78. It is regrettable that the production of lacquer-ware has been moved away. All over the country, Pagan is connected to lacquer-ware but now the visitor will only see it in retail shops in the hotels and outside the monuments. There is one remaining retail outlet located just outside the Walled City of Pagan which has a wonderful 'grandmother's attic' look about it and successfully captures the visitors' interest. Other smaller retail shops remain next to the Tourist Information office.

79. A gift shop in a hotel fills a certain role but it would be charming if each evening different craftsmen were allowed to set up on a rug-size area in the lobby of the hotel or outside the bar and do their work and sell their products. Perhaps an orderly rotation could be organized, for example, to have four artisans per evening.

Internal Transportation

80. As a relatively small area, the monuments of the Plains of Pagan are easy to visit by coach, pony cart or bicycle. In a very short period, visitors are able to see a stunning variety of temples that are in active use, restored monuments with varied histories and ruins of a myriad of other monuments.

81. The single most advantageous feature of the Plains of Pagan is the easy access to monuments that will interest tourists of various tastes: the religious student, the archaeological buff, the historian, or the person simply interested in something different. There is a profusion of different things to see, 2,217 monuments by recent count.

Accommodation

82. Accommodation provided in the 68-room Thiripyitsaya Hotel should be adequate for most foreign tourists in the near term. This property has adequate facilities but needs to bring service into line with its rating in the country. Impressions of visitors who stayed there during the mid-80s indicate that it can provide guest satisfaction. It is noted that during slow periods, the quality of service has been allowed to deteriorate.

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83. Additional accommodation is available at the 30-room Pagan (Thande) Hotel near the Archaeology Museum and at the 45-room Ayeyar Hotel located just north of the Walled City of Pagan. These properties cater to many domestic as well as foreign visitors. The 20-bungalow units at the former are well suited for use by foreigners while, with a creative but oldest face­lift, the latter could be a charming small inn. Its previous name, Irra Inn, described it aptly.

Recommendations on Presentation

The Plains of Pagan

84. The Plains of Pagan is a world-class archaeological site. It is a good tourist destination now, but with a well focused plan it could be a great one.

85. If it is to be great, it will have to become world-known for the quality of the conservation work being conducted. As was pointed out in the Pagan Symposium Papers (1989) , there is competition in the region, and more or less within the same time period there are great stone sites in Cambodia, Thailand and Indonesia such as:

The Cultural Triangle project in Sri Lanka which is internationally recognized;

The philippines with over 500 stone churches;

China with a formidable array of ancient sites;

Kyongju and many other sites lesser known but nearly as significant in Korea;

Two World Heritage Sites in Bangladesh;

- Moenjodaro, Lahore and many more in Pakistan; and

India with the eight sites where Buddha walked as well as numerous fascinating sites running from the British era back to Alexander.

86. In most of these countries, the sites are elements of pride in their national heritage and major components in their tourism presentation.

87. Pagan will not just sell itself. A museum will not sell Pagan. So far, there are no great tombs, mummies or burial artefacts. There is no great record of military might, swords, helmets, shields or knives. There are few, if any, great pieces to indicate courtly splendour or kingly power, crowns, jewelry or tableware, and little evidence to reconstruct the daily life of the residents, cooking pots, water jars or field implements.

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88. The human figure and items of human adornment are surprisingly scarce. The surviving art is all religious. Was there an everyday art carved in wood or painted on wood or cloths that has been lost? Was there paper? It is the search to discover these facts and artefacts which should be the basis for the tourism/conservation presentation.

Sites/ Monuments and Museums

89. Conservation of monuments will be the theme of the one-day visit to the Plains of Pagan in the presentation plan envisaged in this report.

90. The first stop, whatever the time of day, should be to climb up to the first level of Htilominlo Temple (Monument 1812) to get a panoramic view of the plains. Its location provides a fine perspective of the Plains of Pagan. The second stop should be at the new Conservation centre which will be discussed in the following section. The third stop should be to one of the currently-working excavation sites with a Centre guide.

91. There should be three thorough temple visits. As time permits, one could also visit two or three others, not just to see another temple, but to see specific features of paintings, sculpture or architecture. There should be excursions with a multitude of photo opportunities. The drivers and guides should know the best photo spots for different times of day and make sure the visitors get good and memorable pictures.

92. At mid-day, an offer should be made to return to the hotel for lunch. If a quality restroom is built in the Walled City, a stop could be made there with the choice of having a picnic in the shade of one of the temples or at an excavation site.

Relationship of Visitors to Human and Natural Environment

Central Core of Pagan

93. Within the Walled City, the chances for casual contact with the residents and the vibrancy of their daily lives has been greatly diminished. From a tourism point of view, the walled area has become uninteresting.

94. There are significant positive resources remaining however: the moat, the lengths of the remaining wall and two fine gates. There are the excavation sites, active temples and pagodas, and a wide variety of ruins. The Museum and the DOA activities are here, and there are roads, trees, shrubs and, perhaps most importantly, there is a significant length of river shoreline.

95. There are also negative aspects to be dealt with:

a. The area is too large to be excavated. It is unrealistic to think that the Department of Archaeology will have enough money in the next century to study the entire area within the walls.

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b. It is too big to convert into a park like Borobodur, and

c. It is too big to maintain as a garden.

96. As a trade off, the positive prospects offer an exciting challenge. No small plans and absolutely no immediate plans should be made. For several years, the DOA staff should make notes, sketch ideas, jot down details, hold exploratory meetings with architects and planners, study solutions in other countries, talk to visitors and listen to experts. The advice is not to rush. Meanwhile, the preliminary work can begin.

97. The Walled City of Pagan needs:

a mission statement - guidelines and standards - a monuments conservation plan, and

an overall archaeological plan and excavation schedule Then, based on those plans and with close staff input, it needs a very talented and rather poetic parks/landscape designer to make some visual sense out of the huge area and all of its wonderful resources. It is a complex set of problems and an inspiring opportunity.

98. It must be brilliant. It needs an international-class solution, perhaps an international design competition. Through its International Services Section, the United States National parks Service is doing a nearly as large but less complex plan near the Taj Mahal in co-operation with the Government of India.

99. No matter what is written or planned and drawn, it must not be forgotten that the Walled City will require substantial annual budgets.

100. There are two major possibilities for the Walled City of Pagan which should be explored further:

a. It should house a new Conservation Centre which would be a permanent expansion of the existing DOA facilities;

b. A handicraft workshop centre could be developed where individual workshop buildings could be erected. It might be a place for larger, export handicraft production. Retail should only be allowed if there are regular production activities. These workshop units should not be permanent but could be designed to be skidded to a new site if and when excavations begin around them.

The Young People

101. Some effort should be made to redirect the energy of the children who hang around the sites as beggars. The Youth Volunteers programme in the schools could be extended to teach

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young people to be apprentice temple guides or attendants. There should be no tips and no begging. Visitors could bring pens or supplies for the local school.

102. At the hotels, some display of local study work on paper, in clay or perhaps jewelry would be interesting. Establishing a relationship with the community will have to begin with the young.

Residents' use of Certain Sites.

103. It would be good to stimulate the continued use of the structures in Pagan for worship by the residents as they are of designs that are still being used today all over the country.

104. Perhaps one ruin could be carefully documented and then turned over to the local people to restore in their own way with their own work and funds, all under the guidance of the Department of Archaeology. All over the country young people are raising money to maintain and rebuild pagodas. Why not one or two here?

Nature Sites

105. The earthquake stabilization has frequently required heavy intervention.

106. The nature lover will not find the Plains of Pagan an instantly exciting area. However, the waterfront might be promising for fish and/or wildlife study. There are birds in the area but the consultants could not determine if the river here is on the north-south flyway from China.

107. There may be some opportunities to view changes in vegetation and animal life on the slopes of Mount Popa, but details were not immediately available to the consultants.

108. There should be a pamphlet prepared that lists the local plants, trees, fish and unique animals of the region. This pamphlet could also describe local agriculture, crops, planting techniques, harvesting times, etc.

IV VISITOR POTENTIAL IN PAGAN

Recommended Quality

109. As was described earlier, Myanmar should seek to revive the small, up-market package tours which were operating in 1987. Once aircraft and coaches are available, the tours should start immediately and there should be an immediate programme to up­grade the hotels, the food and the service attitude.

110. Operating this, and only this, should be visualized for five years. This would give time to sharpen the programme and could be brilliantly successful as well as profitable. Planning for the next phase can begin at the end of the second year.

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111. The tour should be first-class but not deluxe or five star outside of Yangon. The Strand will provide a great beginning and, elsewhere the tour will succeed if fine three star or normal four star quality is achieved. The present modest hotels, smartly run, will give the tour just the right flair.

112. Individual or budget travellers should not be encouraged. The package or nothing should be offered. At present, transportation is too critical to take up aircraft seats with tourists who do not add to the optimum level of economic benefit to the nation.

113. The private sector is being urged to enter the tourist market as operators. This should be the ultimate objective of all tourism planning, however until these individual operators become experienced and acquire expertise in the industry, their operations should be limited to domestic travel.

Recommendation: The activities of a Tourist Enterprise as defined in the Myanmar Tourism Law (1990), should initially be limited to the handling of domestic travellers.

Source Marketing

114. The afore-mentioned tour should initially only be offered out of Bangkok and Singapore, the two major southeast Asian cities with relatively frequent and convenient international connections to Yangon. These cities each receive in excess of four million visitors a year, many of whom are multi-destination travellers who will be prime targets for side trips to Myanmar.

115. One wholesale travel agency, or perhaps two, should be appointed in each of these cities to represent MTT and prepare brochures for distribution to retail agents, hotels and the travelling public. The wholesalers should be selected carefully to ensure as broad an international representation as possible, i.e. with access to listings in computer reservation systems which are assessable around the world. The tour wholesale subsidiaries of Thai International Airlines, Royal Orchid Holidays, Singapore Airlines, and Tradewinds Tours would be excellent and appropriate representatives.

116. With a minimum number of wholesalers, it will reduce the need for agent familiarization trips and quickly develop personal contacts with the applicable embassies to speed visa formalities.

117. By starting with only two cities, the programme would only have impact on two embassies. Special effort should be made to brief the Immigration Department in Yangon and each Ambassador and staff on the importance of tourism to the country. Visa applications in these cities should be acted upon within no more than three days and preferably overnight.

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Minimum Facility Improvements

Transportation

118. Under the assumption that all, or substantially all, tourists to Myanmar would be on package tours that last one week, the constraints of air seats will limit the potential numbers from what otherwise may be the numbers dictated by market forces. There are also the other constraints enumerated in Section II that will further hamper growth.

119. In order to determine the number of air seats that may be required, the consultants prepared a hypothetical model of air seat requirements set forth below.

120. The dedication of one Myanma Airways 65-seat F-28 aircraft to tourist service during the peak period would accommodate about 7,700 passengers at a load factor of 80 percent. This would correspond to approximately 13,000 tourists annually. Conversely, if two 44-seat F-27 aircraft were dedicated, all of the hypothetical peak period tourists could be accommodated. Whether either of these alternatives are practical is speculative at this time.

HYPOTHETICAL MODEL OF AIR SEAT REQUIREMENTS

Approximate tourists in 1991 Factor for five year annual growth rate (to 1996) - 10 percent

Hypothetical tourists in 1996 Portion during peak November-March period

Peak period tourists in 1996 Weeks in peak period

Weekly peak period tourists in 1996

Daily peak period tourists in 1996

10,000

X 1.61

16,100

60%

9,660 21.5

449

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121. Suffice it to say that Myanma Airways or an alternative carrier will have to provide this level of service in order for any real growth in tourism to occur.

122. The foregoing case illustrates the daily seat requirements on flights that will make the Yangon, Pagan, Mandalay, Heho, Yangon circuit either clockwise, as listed, or counter clockwise, i.e. in reverse, or both. The tourist spends one night each in Pagan, Mandalay, Taunggyi and Kalaw. The package schedule will have to be carefully constructed because the last two stops listed are served from the same airport at Heho.

123. Assuming a daily requirement of 64 people, this would mean that four times that number will have to be transported on the ground in the four northern destinations. With 16-seat coaches,

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a minimum of 16 will be required, in addition to those required in Yangon to handle the tourists during their three day stay in that gateway city.

(For a discussion on the suggested new railway connection from New Pagan south to an existing spur line, see para 174. This rail connection would not be a viable alternative to the air circuit discussed above.)

Accommodation

124. The number of rooms in Pagan at the three existing hotels, i.e. 68 at Thiripyitsaya, 45 at Ayeyar and 30 at Pagan (Thande) , are sufficient to meet the needs of the maximum potential level (see Attainable levels paras. 159-161).

125. Although the tourist will not be booking directly with the hotels, the names of the first two are not easy for foreigners to say or spell. The Thiripyitsaya would be much easier for tourists to deal with if it were called "Ananda" or "Pagan Riverside" Hotel. The Ayeyar Hotel would achieve far better visitor recognition by its former name, Irra Inn, because of the long history of the use of its namesake, the Irrawaddy River, the spelling of which was recently changed to Ayeyarwady.

126. Service in all aspects of tourism in the north of Myanmar appears to have suffered since 1987. Existing managers and employees have all grown lax and casual since the heady days of travel in 1987. That is understandable, but they cannot just return to the previous work levels. Things have to be much better than they were before.

127. There has to be a new level of style and hospitality. The people are exceptionally capable and naturally friendly.Through the Strand management, some outstanding consultants should be brought in to give the package the right quality. Up-market retraining of management and staff should be provided.

128. The dining rooms in the Pagan hotels require simple facelifts. Both rooms at the Thiripyitsaya are kept dark as caves, even for breakfast when the weather is comfortable. There should be local paintings or wall hangings. Light fixtures and lampshades should be of local materials. Fluorescent lights should not be used in any of the public areas or gardens.

129. Tablecloths, place mats and napkins should be handwoven. Utensils and dinnerware can be imported, so as to be easy to wash and store, but table accessories such as vases, sauce dishes, butter dishes, tooth pick holders, salt and pepper containers, sugar bowls, etc. should be locally made and available for sale.

130. Thought should be given to view opportunities which can be taken advantage of by breakfasts being served in gardens, on pool decks or similar attractive places. Similarly, cocktail service should be offered at view points.

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131. Room keys should be utilitarian but different at each hotel and never in plastic.

132. Each hotel should have an evening manager's cocktail party for the guests and they should be rotated so that the visitor attends at least one such gathering during the four nights in the north. It is a good opportunity for the travellers to get to know each other and to visit with the staff.

133. Beer, a soft drink and a speciality drink of the region should be offered, such as: Mandalay Rum, a Pagan Punch, and something typical of Taunggyi and Kalaw. Each site should also have a local snack. Bowls, trays and cups should be locally made. The price of this should be included in the package. It should be kept short and simple and after an hour the regular bar should be open.

134. All employees, drivers, guides, airport and hotel staff should be in uniform, local if possible but not exotically quaint. They should be handsomely cut designs the employees feel proud wearing and appropriate to their job.

135. As the tourist will be eating in different hotels and at transit stops in between, the meals served at each location should be co-ordinated in order to provide variety. Because the tourist will only spend one day at each location on the circuit, a four day rotation of the same menu in each of the four stops could solve this problem. As the hotels are all under common management, this should not create too great a problem.

136. The rooms in all of the northern hotels have to be functional and easy to clean and maintain. There should be big heavy bath towels, and plenty of them. If the bathroom is clean and the water is hot, people will put up with almost everything else.

137. The standard hotel specifications apply, but there must be little things which show some extra thought, for example a small sewing kit, a pair of shoe laces, a reading lamp.

Interpretation and Presentation

138. The new signs being installed at the monument sites in Pagan, the white concrete blocks with black lettering, could be more attractive if they were in the style of the ancient tablets. Visitors to the DOA museum, and in the future to the Conservation Centre, will see many of these tablets on display. Why not create a similar type of distinctive tablet to catch the attention of visitors at the monuments on the Plains of Pagan?

Pagan Museum

139. The present Pagan Museum is fine but it could be much better. The displays are professionally adequate and the artefacts are interesting, but things should be rearranged to give the visitor a quick, rewarding experience.

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140. The present museum should become a part of the larger new Conservation Centre which, in its entirety, will be a visitor's centre. There should be maps in the cases to indicate where pieces were found and colour coding to indicate centuries. A printed sheet should be provided that gives the meaning of the different hand positions of the most frequently-seen Buddha statues found in Pagan.

141. This is the place for a large model of the site. Something on the scale of the Mandalay Palace model but with a raised viewing walkway around the sides should be prepared. There should be a hand-out map which matches the model.

142. This is the place for some scale models of the different pagoda and temple designs and cut-always to show the different construction methods that will indicate dirt, brick, stucco, etc.

143. The existing display of inscriptions tablets is excellent. Copies should be placed back at the sites. In the Museum and at the sites there should be better translation/descriptions. These need not translate everything but should highlight the special particularly interesting details. Repetition and heavy formality should be avoided. These tablets give an insight into the lives of the people and the religion. One tablet should be fully translated into English and given as a hand-out to visitors or incorporated into a guide/map book.

144. The process of making copies of the statues to be placed on site is commendable. It was not possible to tell if the mould process is damaging the surface of the statues but caution should be taken. Whether the copy should be clearly identified as a copy when back on site is a question of professional judgement; it might be best to put a clear, small mark on the front of the base to be honest with visitors and fend off thieves.

145. The present Department of Archaeology buildings could easily be the core for the future Conservation Centre recommended subsequently. A want list should be drawn up for the new complex and some broad building layouts established. Planting and landscaping for the whole complex should begin immediately.

146. The present Conservation Centre at Angkor in Cambodia is an intelligent and pleasing complex. It includes some staff housing for visiting professionals, a library, classroom space, workshops, warehouse space and laboratories. It should not be copied but is worth study.

Department of Archaeology Centre

147. A professional conservation programme designed specifically to let the visitor look over the shoulder of the archaeologists and even involve the visitor with the archaeologists could give tourism in Pagan a distinctive character and create a special and memorable value.

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Pagan Conservation Centre

1.48. There should be a new and imaginatively designed Pagan Conservation Centre. After a down river trip for the energetic, and an early morning climb to an upper level of one of the monuments for everyone, the visit to the Plains of Pagan should start at this centre. It should be a thoughtful structure that will provide working space for the scientific scholars and an involvement of the visitors with the professional staff.

149. The building should include:

a. Proper space for scientific identification, research, evaluation, repair and interpretation.

b. Space for archives, library and a publications programme

c. Space for epigraphic studies. For the visitors, and understanding of the writings could be interesting.

d. Equipment for technical studies of earthquake repair and damage control

e. Office and work space for visiting archaeological teams

f. Workshops for repair or reproduction of artefacts

g. A museum presentation of discovered artefacts

h. A bookshop/gift shop

i. Offices for administration and for the trustees of the Plains of Pagan Trust.

150. For the tourist, the Centre would be both an interpretation centre and a place for the study. It is where the models and the recovered artefacts could be seen and where the story of the work at Pagan could be told. It could be exciting for the visitors and give a depth and texture to their stay.

Observation: The Pagan Conservation Centre must be professionally run. It will be impossible to expect aid or foundation projects to be available unless there is a clear, international understanding that the Centre is independent and scholarly. The quality of the scholarship will determine the level of the gifts, financial aid and participation by foreign archaeological study groups.

General Thoughts

151. A presentation problem has been that Tourist Burma and now MTT provide the guides in Pagan and elsewhere. Tourism has been up front, however, conservation should take the lead in

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presentation, particularly in Pagan. The archaeologists should be involved in training all guides and supervise their presentation within the Plains of Pagan. The present guides would remain but they would be speaking for and interpreting on behalf of the Conservation Centre.

15 2. This may seem a small point but it emphasizes the recommendation that Conservation be the dominant theme of presentation in Pagan, not just religion and/or history.

15 3. The pony carts are quite special and every effort should be made to incorporate a ride in one as part of the Pagan visit. The consultants see no reason why pony carts are not allowed into the Thiripyitsaya Hotel to pick up passengers who make the necessary arrangements. This does not mean that the cart operators should be allowed to solicit business or enter without prior arrangements.

15 4. A sunrise boat trip on the river would be possible as an extra to the package tour during the one night in Pagan and should be initiated immediately. A pony cart ride to the dock would give the visitors a special treat.

Conservation Philosophy; A Tourism Observation

15 5« Before the residents were relocated to New Pagan, there was a steady human flow, people farming, walking, playing throughout the area. All this is sorely missed. The residents have become separated from their structures. There are some serious conservation issues emerging:

a. Will the Walled City of Pagan become an over-cared for Park and a lifeless outdoor museum?

b. The brilliant work done on earthquake repair has required serious intervention and reconstruction. Necessary as it was, it has reduced the pristine naivete of the site.

c. The philosophy of the earthquake repair was to return to the moment before the jolt. This has meant that the whole top sections of several temples are now new. The issue that whirled around Borobodur as to whether to complete the silhouette by installing a new spire comes up here. This was originally a plain filled with spires, now it is a plain filled with blunted, worn-down domes. There are some very new 'top knots1 appearing which carefully copy the impression before the earthquake. The question is whether new spires should be re-established since so much other work is being undertaken?

d. The Walled City now has a garden park within it and much flower bed planting is going on.

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e. The excavations themselves make a contemporary impact. When the work is finished, the necessary, very neat, flat capping is put on the walls and foundations and a very sterile scene develops. The site begins to look like a manicured garden.

156. It is important to draw attention to these questions as at present professional conservation is having a far greater visible impact on this site than tourism.

Attainable Visitor Levels

157• The realistic range of total tourist arrivals by 1966 will be between the 13,000 level based on the 'F-28 assumption1

discussed under 'transportation' above and the 16,000 level which the consultants believe is the maximum which can be achieved by 1996.

158. These levels can only be achieved if adequate air transportation becomes available. Less critical, but still important, will be the provision of more comfortable coaches.

159. The quality level of services must all be improved. This is perhaps the most important requirement which, in our view, can be easily achieved.

Visitor Involvement«

Conservation

160. The tourism package that is recommended in this report only allows for visitors to be in Pagan for 24 hours. There is too much to see to expect that there will be much time for involvement or interaction with either conservation professionals, village residents or the natural environment. For a few years, it will be a matter of improving the presentation and the details of the tours provided.

161. The recommended Conservation Centre will provide the most important opportunity for some exchange of information. That is why its design must be especially friendly, responsible and sensitive. The full staff must participate when the visitors are present. This could be first thing in the morning and late in the afternoon, but the scientific staff must see their role as hosts and salesmen for the projects, for the Plains of Pagan and for Myanmar.

16 2. Another opportunity will develop at excavation sites. A good way would be to have an evening lecture by one of the archaeologists about their current project. The best way would be to have the guides trained and operating under the Centre.

16 3. Given the short stay of the tourist, the new Newsletter should be revived and should be a hand-out to visitors and a mailing piece to donors. It should report on financial matters;

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so far, kyats 7 lakh 700,000 have been spent or committed on the palace excavation site. That is good solid information which impresses visitors. The Newsletter should skillfully combine an informative report on current activities with the continuing need for funds.

16 4. It bears repeating that the more the residents and particularly young people can constructively be involved in site visits, the better for Myanmar. Youth Volunteers could provide that kind of winsome and memorable contact.

Domestic Tourism

I65. The consultants were particularly pleased to note the number of Myanmar families with young children that were touring the Plains of Pagan. Many of them, several generations, pile into a pick up and make the tour of the monuments without a guide or guidebook. They come to worship as serious religious pilgrims but with excitement and animation.

New Pagan

16 6. New Pagan has no tourism value. However, for several more years, the Government should continue to seek to improve the visual and civic amenities of the town.

167. It cannot be denied that for the residents involved, the move to New Pagan was a step down. They lost their roots and the alternative presented to them is mediocre. Meanwhile, the Walled City has lost its animation.

168. At Borobodur, the relocation was drastic but was carefully planned and there was a distinct up-grading of the quality of life for the residents who were moved.

l69- In Myanmar, there was not sufficient planning. The country is not in a position for extravagance, but this was an opportunity to create a low-income model town with long-range plans for infrastructure such as water, electricity, sewers. There should have been careful site preparation for the roads, footpaths, cart lanes, tree lined avenues, landscaping and some innovative housing in order to test new low-cost designs and materials.

17 0. A new tourist outer loop road which runs east-west acts as the main street of New Pagan and then angles northeast past several clusters of important monuments leading to the airport junction. For several years, it would be better if the tourist loop cut off above the town so that the tourist misses New Pagan which is not a rewarding sight right now.

171. Separately yet equally important is the need for an additional commercial road that would run more easterly, making a lower, gentle arc, missing all of the monument areas enroute to the main road. If New Pagan is projected to grow, this commercial road will be necessary for freight and residential use.

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17 2. There are discussions about constructing a rail connection from New Pagan south to Kyeni, the northern terminus of a spur line which connects with the main line at Pyinmana. This would not be justified for tourism alone, but if it were built it could help bring domestic tourists and pilgrims to the Plains of Pagan. Only in the distant future would a rail circuit be recommended.

173. A new rail link of approximately 24 km (15 miles) will need some compelling justification such as cheaper freight opportunities for the fertilizer plant across the river or faster shipping time for market crops to Yangon.

17 4. A suggested site was pointed out for a possible railway station on the edge of New Pagan; it might also be important to evaluate a location on the riverbank which could serve as a water/rail terminus.

V. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

Existing Revenue Sources

175. The primary source of revenue of the Department of Archaeology for the Plains of Pagan is the conservation budget OOOOOallocation from the central government. This allocation increased annually from kyats 20,000 in the fiscal year 1948/1949 to kyats 620,000 in 1987/1988. During the post earthquake period, i.e. after 1975, the conservation budget reached a high of kyats 1.458 million in 1979/1980.

17 6- After the earthquake a 'Special Works Team1 carried out emergency repair, maintenance and conservation work with a government allocation of kyats 1.0 million, public donations of kyats 4.5 million and interest on the deposit of these funds of kyats 598,000.

177. During the current 1991/1992 fiscal year, the State Law and Order Restoration Council made additional allocations of approximately kyats 6.5 million for special projects for the Plains of Pagan. The permanent staff of the Department of archaeology has increased nationwide from 96 people in 1988 to 261 currently. In addition, as many as 800 casual workers are employed for special projects, many of which require special trade skills such as masonry and carpentry.

178. The conservation budget is supplemented by a portion of the foreign visitor zonal fee (US$10,00) and the museum entry fee (US$ 4.00), foreign government assistance for specific projects and public contributions.

179. The construction and maintenance of the infrastructure is provided by other government departments, e.g. access roads by the Public Works Department. The need for this type of funding has not been considered in this report.

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Conservation Expenditure requirements

180 . The administrative and maintenance requirements of the Pagan branch of the Department of Archaeology will be ongoing and should continue to be funded in the government budget. Portions of the restoration and research activities of the branch will also come from this source. However, funding requirements of certain projects, including the implementation of a portion of the recommendations of this report, may have to come from outside sources.

Restoration

181. A majority of the critical structural restoration projects which arose from the 1975 earthquake had been completed by 1986. There remain, however, more than 2,000 monuments that may, when funds become available, warrant restoration.

18 2. The current restoration work on the paintings of Kubyaukgyi Temple (Monument 1323 on the 1988 Pagan archaeological map) is nearing completion. This is only one of the many monuments that have similar paintings which may require restoration.

183. This UNESCO project has brought a great deal of international expertise and training leadership to the country and has increased international awareness of Pagan significantly.

Research

184. The excavation work currently under way at the Royal Palace site in the Walled City of Pagan will cost approximately kyats 700,000 over a two year period. The time and cost requirements for excavation in this approximately 4,000 square metre site provide an indication of what may be required over the next century to excavate the entire 100 hectare of the Walled City of Pagan. (At two years for a 4,000 square metre site, it will take 500 years for the entire walled Cityl)

185» This further illustrates that the vision for Pagan must be long term, up to 50 or 100 years. Plans for restoration within the Walled City cannot be accurately formulated until more is known about what occurred there in its prime, where people lived, where bricks were manufactured, where animals were stabled, where armament was produced, etc. Only the completion of the entire excavation process will provided answers to what life was like in the walled City of Pagan and how it should be presented in the future.

186. As important as the excavation process is, the research •» capability proposed for the Conservation Centre is of equal importance. The questions raised by the excavations will have to be answered and expertise developed. The Conservation Centre •> should be the vehicle for this requirement.

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International Recognition

187. Pagan is clearly a world-class site. It belongs on the World Heritage List. However, the Government of Myanmar must first sign the World Heritage Convention. The Division of Physical Heritage, UNESCO, Paris, France can provide specific details. It is urged that the Ministry of/Foreign Affairs consider signing this convention.

188. The Ministry may have its own national considerations to review. The consultants do respectively submit that the World Heritage Programme does provide special opportunity for international prestige.

Observation: The tourism value of a World Heritage Site is widely recognized within the industry.

189. Through UNESCO, there are funds available to bring a consultant to a member country to assist in preparing their site nomination submissions. The Committee will expect a Management Plan for the proposed site to be prepared and submitted with the nomination. Therefore, UNESCO will draw up the Masterplan for the Monuments in Pagan.

Financing Conservation Projects

190. Some foreign aid might be obtainable for the Conservation centre project but most foundations and donor agencies do not make capital investment grants, nor operating grants. They are interested in project grants

Project Grants

191. Grants for excavations would not be given to Myanmar or to the DOA in Pagan but to some university or museum in the donor country which in turn would assemble staff and apply to come to dig at Pagan under terms set up by the Department of Archaeology. These contacts are made through the embassy of the originating country and the Minister of Foreign Affairs who in turn passes it on to the Minister of Planning and Finance for DOA approval.

192. There are internationally accepted contracts for professional archaeological work and they will continue to be used with whatever special addenda are needed, project by project. They are generally protective of the host country regarding ownership of artefacts, exhibitions, loans and publication rights.

193. Once a Conservation Master Plan is adopted for the Plains of Pagan, a list of research and excavation priorities can be established. Projects can be stimulated by notices in professional journals. The Conservation Centre must certainly be designated as supervisory office for all contracts.

194. These contracts can be extremely beneficial to the nation as they provide graduate study for young local professionals,

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jobs and technical training for local residents, increase the international image of the country and attract the interest of potential private donors and foreign government officials.

195. The World Monuments Fund is a private organization which has offices in New York and Paris. This is not a membership organization, however it is active around the world. They have funds and work to mobilize other donor sources to focus on sites and projects. They are widely respected for their professional leadership.

196» There are also numerous important international philanthropic foundations that might become interested in the Plains of Pagan, for example the Getty, Ford, Rockefeller, Carnegie and American Express Foundations among the thousands in the United States. Numerous Japanese corporations have established foundations and are active around the world, for example the Mitsubishi and Toyoto Foundations. The Hokke Club Hotel Organization in Japan is a Buddhist religious organization which also operates a hotel in Lumbini, Nepal and another near the Buddhist sites in India.

Pagan Conservation Centre

197. This is the place where the tone or institutional image will be set for all the Plains of Pagan and for all fund raising for conservation activities. For the tourists, the Centre would be both an interpretation centre and a hands-on workshop visit. Scientific conservation work will be the theme of the visitors 24-hour stay at the Plains of Pagan.

198. After a stop at the Htilominlo Temple for a panoramic view of the area, the Centre will be the place where the visit to Pagan will begin. This is where the laboratories, the models and the recovered artefacts could be seen and the story of the work at Pagan told.

199. It must be designed as a scholarly work centre designed to welcome and educate visitors. It should be exciting for the visitors and give a depth and texture to their stay which is simply not possible now.

200. There should be a donation for casual contributions and a Membership desk for people who might want to join the Plains of Pagan Trust. For an annual fee of US$15 they receive two newsletters a year.

Gifts in Kind

201. Not all revenue need be in cash. There are many ways to obtain services and advice. 1

Observation: For many years, the Cultural Triangle Project in Sri Lanka obtained a dedicated share of its countries1 » food grants from FAO. They used this food to pay conservation project employees. This idea may not be applicable in Myanmar but it is noted to emphasize that ingenuity is needed to obtain funds and grants.

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Pagodas and Monuments Conservation Fund

202. This existing fund is kept in trust by the Department of Archaeology. It should be clearly explained that the DOA share of admission and camera fees collected at the time a tour is booked go into that fund. It should be emphasized that it is administered by a group of professional and community trustees, just as the Temple Trustees function.

203. The membership fee will get them a newsletter; larger gifts will be welcomed and acknowledged. Designated grants for special sites or activities can be accepted and administered through this fund.

204. It would be important to ask three or four prominent international monuments experts to sit on a Advisory Committee. They could advise DOA on project proposals and priorities. More importantly,their presence would add credibility to conservation in Pagan and open other doors to funding institutions.

205. Expenditures from this fund should be detailed in the Centre Newsletter. All donors' names and major gifts should also be mentioned in the Newsletter. From time to time, new maps, poster or postcards should be included in the mailings.

International Sources

206- The Asian development Bank and the World Bank are taking a new interest in funding tourism infrastructure projects. These are banker loans, not grants. There is clear evidence that well-managed tourism, carefully geared to the capability of the country, can indeed provide an important and steady flow of revenue for the host country.

207. Myanmar has had a long and constructive relationship with most of the international aid and philanthropic institutions. The United Nations, UNDP and UNESCO have participated in projects in the country.

Domestic Sources

208. Other Governments, foundations and private donors will ask what is being done by the people of Myanmar to assist the conservation of Pagan. Frequently donors will match local efforts or will give more knowing there is a local effort. They will not expect giant funds from within the nation, but they will look for some local initiative.

Recommendation: There should be a regular programme to raise funds within the country for Pagan, i.e. through international corporations doing business there, through domestic companies and from service clubs and private individuals.

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209. Possibilities of an effort which would be made through schools should be evaluated. There should not be an appeal for money, but for free work at the monuments under the guidance of the Department of Archaeology. This could have a strong emotional appeal to other donors and would involve young people in the preservation of their heritage.

International Associations

210. Most international professional conservation groups have sent representatives here at some time. e.g. ICOMOS, ICOM, IUCN and ICCROM.

211. Myanmar should initiate a national committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). Perhaps a special liaison could be established with the national committees in other member countries.

212. The President of ICOMOS is from Sri Lanka. This is the first time an Asian member has held the office. Further, in 1993 the 10th general Assembly of ICOMOS will be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Staff members from DOA should submit papers for this meeting and a strong contingent from Myanmar should attend. There will not be a closer, or cheaper, chance to meet all of the international monuments management leaders in the world.

213. There will be over 600 people attending, and Myanmar could perhaps prepare a reduced fare package, out of Bangkok, for some delegates to visit Myanmar before or after the General Assembly.

214. Contact should also be made with the International Council of Museums (ICOM). There are limited museum collections in Myanmar but there is a future for small and specialized museums and ICOM could be helpful.

215. Myanmar should consider joining the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). Myanmar Hotels and Tourism Service and/or Myanma Airways could join. This would provide a link into a strong regional trade association. Besides offering the chance to meet with industry counterparts, PATA organizes Task Forces to member countries to provide short-term specialized advice. It offers joint marketing opportunities, educational programmes, workshops and joint representation at trade shows in Europe, North America and Asia. There is also a PATA Foundation.

216. Membership in WTO should be considered for similar reasons. It provides many excellent member services. To join both would be preferable but if it has to be only one, Myanmar would get more out of PATA in the next few years because it would offer a close interchange with neighbouring countries on their travel activities.

Direct Tourism Support

2 17« The revitalized tourist package which should come into being when the restored Strand Hotel is open and when adequate air

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transportation is available, could include a conservation component of US$100. This fee would replace all of the entry and camera fees now being charged at the various temples, monuments and museums around the country.

218. MTT, as it does at present, should periodically pay over to the applicable trusts the temple entry fees based on a level similar to that currently being charged and the itinerary of the tourists; a method of distributing the camera fees (currently 5 kyats) on an equitable basis should be devised, and the balance should be distributed to DOA for deposit with the Pagodas & Monuments Conservation Fund.

219. Based on the current level of temple entry and camera fees, the US$100 charge should result in approximately $60 for use in the Plains of Pagan. At the lower level of 13,000 tourists in 1996, this would mean that approximately $780,000 would be generated.

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