• Burmese
Saturday, June 14, 2025
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Irrawaddy
25 °c
Yangon
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
No Result
View All Result
The Irrawaddy
No Result
View All Result
Home News Burma

Local tour guides want ministry to take action against foreign operators

Zarni Mann by Zarni Mann
November 24, 2017
in Burma
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0 0
A A
Small wooden boats chartered by tourists flow under the U Bein Bridge in Amarapura Township near Mandalay, offering a different way to experience the sunset under the world’s longest teak bridge. / Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy

Small wooden boats chartered by tourists flow under the U Bein Bridge in Amarapura Township near Mandalay, offering a different way to experience the sunset under the world’s longest teak bridge. / Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy

5k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Mandalay – The Myanmar Tourist Guides Association is planning to call on the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism to crack down on the employment of foreign guides by tour operators.

The chairman of the association told The Irrawaddy on Friday that the foreign tour guides, especially those serving the Korean market, were denying local licensed Korean-speaking guides the opportunity to work.

“Most of the Korean tour agencies use native speakers as tour guides, so the local Korean-speaking guides do not have a chance to get work,” said association chairman U Aung Tun Lin.

RelatedPosts

Myanmar Tourism Sector Mocks Junta’s Russia Tourist Drive

Myanmar Tourism Sector Mocks Junta’s Russia Tourist Drive

June 13, 2025
811
Shattered Lives, Lost Treasures: Traveling in Myanmar’s Quake Zone

Shattered Lives, Lost Treasures: Traveling in Myanmar’s Quake Zone

April 11, 2025
2.4k
Thai Private Sector Urges Crackdown on Illegal Foreign-Owned Businesses

Thai Private Sector Urges Crackdown on Illegal Foreign-Owned Businesses

March 3, 2025
680

In 2012, the association raised the issue of Korean tour guides working in the country with the ministry, however, the tour operators have continued to use foreigners as tour guides.

“Back then, the ministry issued a notice and the agencies hired English-speaking guides, instead of Korean speaking local guides,” he explained.

“As the Tourist Guide Association, we will submit another complaint to the ministry to protect the job security of local licensed guides and to ensure there are proper rules and regulations on the employment of unlicensed foreign tour guides,” he said.

The Korean tourist market has blossomed since 2010, as the country opened its doors to the world. In the early years, there were only a couple of Korean-speaking local licensed guides. However, according to local guides, the number of professional local guides who can speak Korean has now increased to 30.

“I decided to be a Korean guide and have invested many years to learn the language and tried hard to get the license too,” said Ko Kyaw Kyaw Naing, who has worked in the industry since 2010. “But now, all of our efforts have been in vain and we are unemployed as no tour agencies will hire us, for they are using Koreans instead.”

According to industry regulations, tourist guides need to be citizens of Myanmar and to have a professional license issued by the Ministry of Hotel and Tourism.

Travel agencies and tour operators tended to employ native tour leaders for package tours and group tours, but hire the local licensed tourist guides for tours across the country.

The local tourist guides said their Korean counterparts seemed to have no official license, but they were somehow hired as foreign employees of the travel agencies.

“Since 2012, they have hired English-speaking guides, so they can say they have a local tour guide. If they are doing that, what kind of job can we get?” said Ko Kyaw Kyaw Naing.

“Every year, we have to pay a tax to be a tourist guide, but the funny thing is, we have no job. We would like to urge the responsible government officials to reconsider the rules and regulations on this issue to create job security and job opportunities for the local professionals,” he said.

Your Thoughts …
Tags: KoreaMyanmar Tourist Guides AssociationTour guidesTourism
Zarni Mann

Zarni Mann

The Irrawaddy

Similar Picks:

Five-Star Casino Resort on Myanmar Tropical Island Runs Out of Luck
Burma

Five-Star Casino Resort on Myanmar Tropical Island Runs Out of Luck

by The Irrawaddy
February 6, 2024
19.2k

U Kyaw Lwin ran his casino resort on the visa-free island for more than 10 years before facing arrest in...

Read moreDetails
In Western Myanmar, an Ethnic Landlord is Poised to Liberate ‘Crony Beach’
Burma

In Western Myanmar, an Ethnic Landlord is Poised to Liberate ‘Crony Beach’

by The Irrawaddy
June 25, 2024
15.8k

After capturing Thandwe Airport, the Arakan Army is just steps away from Myanmar’s most valuable beach and the crony-owned resorts...

Read moreDetails
Touting Holidays in a Flooded Warzone; Praising Savior China; and More
Junta Watch

Touting Holidays in a Flooded Warzone; Praising Savior China; and More

by The Irrawaddy
October 5, 2024
13.3k

Also this week, the regime launched its pre-election census, and unveiled a flood relief budget dwarfed by military spending as...

Read moreDetails
Myanmar Travel Sector Mocks Junta Tourist Claim
Burma

Myanmar Travel Sector Mocks Junta Tourist Claim

by The Irrawaddy
September 30, 2023
7.8k

Regime chief Min Aung Hlaing told a gathering on Wednesday that more than 600,000 tourists had visited Myanmar this year.

Read moreDetails
Junta Minister Makes Surreal Pitch for War-Torn Myanmar as Global Tourism Destination
Burma

Junta Minister Makes Surreal Pitch for War-Torn Myanmar as Global Tourism Destination

by Maung Kavi
January 9, 2025
6.1k

Amid the spreading civil war and rising urban crime, Mya Tun Oo called on junta government agencies to market Myanmar...

Read moreDetails
War-Torn Myanmar to Entice Tourists With Visas on Arrival
Business

War-Torn Myanmar to Entice Tourists With Visas on Arrival

by The Irrawaddy
September 14, 2023
5.7k

Chinese, Indian tourists will be the first to benefit from the pilot project, but tour operators say conflict is a...

Read moreDetails
Load More
Next Post
A contract-signing ceremony is held at MICA in February 2016. / Myanmar News Agency

NLD Legislators Call for Punitive Action in MICA Graft Scandal

Cashiers are seen behind piles of kyat banknotes as they count it in a private bank in Yangon. / Reuters

Tussle over bank reform puts spotlight on debt pile

No Result
View All Result

Recommended

Will Myanmar’s Military Replace Its Embattled Leader?

Will Myanmar’s Military Replace Its Embattled Leader?

1 week ago
2.5k
How the Myanmar Military’s Propaganda Efforts Have Evolved Over the Decades

How the Myanmar Military’s Propaganda Efforts Have Evolved Over the Decades

3 days ago
980

Most Read

  • Myanmar Tourism Sector Mocks Junta’s Russia Tourist Drive

    Myanmar Tourism Sector Mocks Junta’s Russia Tourist Drive

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Untested Commander Takes Charge as Myanmar Military Faces Toughest Challenge in Decades

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Sagaing Region Braced for Myanmar Junta Airstrikes After Jet Crash

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Is TNLA, Under Chinese Pressure, Conceding Northern Shan Gateway to the Regime?

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar Junta Advances into Karenni State

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Get The Irrawaddy’s latest news, analyses and opinion pieces on Myanmar in your inbox.

Subscribe here for daily updates.

Contents

  • News
  • Politics
  • War Against the Junta
  • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
  • Conflicts In Numbers
  • Junta Crony
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Asia
  • World
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Election 2020
  • Elections in History
  • Cartoons
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Commentary
  • Guest Column
  • Analysis
  • Letters
  • In Person
  • Interview
  • Profile
  • Dateline
  • Specials
  • Myanmar Diary
  • Women & Gender
  • Places in History
  • On This Day
  • From the Archive
  • Myanmar & COVID-19
  • Intelligence
  • Myanmar-China Watch
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion & Design
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Photo Essay
  • Donation

About The Irrawaddy

Founded in 1993 by a group of Myanmar journalists living in exile in Thailand, The Irrawaddy is a leading source of reliable news, information, and analysis on Burma/Myanmar and the Southeast Asian region. From its inception, The Irrawaddy has been an independent news media group, unaffiliated with any political party, organization or government. We believe that media must be free and independent and we strive to preserve press freedom.

  • Copyright
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Team
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Burmese

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Business Roundup
  • Books
  • Donation

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.