Because parts of Mon State remain under a stay-at-home order due to Covid-19,  the hotels and tourism sector continues to be negatively impacted.

The Chair of Mon State’s Hotel Enterprise Association U Cham Htun painted a bleak picture.

“Recently there was a video conference with the Ministers, and we suggested relaxing the restriction. So, the townships that remain under a stay-at-home order and having public health and safety inspections has meant that it is not okay yet for travelers to visit there, ” said U Cham Htun.

The Hotel Enterprise Association requested the Hotel and Tourism Industry Minister’s to relax the stay-at-home restrictions because they have been planning campaigns to promote tourism.

On October 20, Kyaik Htee Yoe (Golden Rock) Pagoda was reopened to the public but in accordance with COVID-19 public health and safety regulations. The same protocols will apply for the hotel and tourism sector throughout the State.

“We have a few visitors. Although the number of visitors has increased compared to the number of visitors before the Kyaik Htee Yo Pagoda was reopened, it’s still not a normal level [number of visitors] like before. With low numbers of tourists we have not called back  many staff yet,” said a motel owner in Mon State’s Mawlamyine Capital.

Mon State welcomed nearly 280,000 international and local tourists in 2019. Till April of 2020, there were a total of  728,105 tourists, of which 49, 637 were international  visitors according to the data from the Hotel and Tourism Ministry.

Mon State has 9 tourism companies, and 36 hotels. There are about 22 motels and guest houses which have a total of 2,059 rooms that are licensed to  welcome international travellers.

The combined impacts of the pandemic and the coup has left some hotel business owners contemplating plans to close their hotels, or try other business ventures.