March 20-26, 2014

Myanmar Business Today

mmbiztoday.com
mmbiztoday.com March 20-26, 2014 | Vol 2, Issue 12 MYANMARS FIRST BILINGUAL BUSINESS JOURNAL
Myanmar Summary
Myanmar Summary
Contd. P 19...(Yoma)
Contd. P 19...(Yoma)
Contd. P 6...(SMILB) Contd. P 6...(SMILB)
Yomu to Rump op Myunmur
Investments by $130 Million
Aims to diversify into agriculture, logistics and education sectors
Nwe Zin
S
ingapore-listed Yoma
Strategic Holdings
(YSH) last week an-
nounced its plans for a
massive expansion of its
business interests in My-
anmar in a bid to diversify
its portfolio and income
stream in the frontier mar-
ket of the Southeast Asian
country.
The company, which
mainly deals in real estate
and property, will bolster
its push into Myanmar by
branching out into educa-
LIon, coee, duIry prod-
ucts, cold storage and
logistics businesses, with
an estimated total invest-
ment of $130 million.
The moves are part of
the companys push to
buIId u dIversIhed porLIo-
lio in Myanmar, Andrew
Rickards, chief executive
of YSH, said at a press
conference in Singapore.
YSH said these devel-
opments are in line with
its long-term vision and
planning as it leverages
on its solid foundation to
develop sectors of My-
anmars economy with
strong potential for future
growth.
Yoma tied up with the
International Finance
Corporation (IFC), the
private sector lending arm
of the World Bank Group,
to secure a debt and eq-
uILy hnuncIng puckuge Ior
its venture into the agri-
culture and logistics sec-
tors in Myanmar, which
is subject to completion of
IFCs appraisal, environ-
mental and social impact
assessment.
The company has
formed a new investment
holding company, Yoma
Agricultural & Logistics
Holding Pte Ltd (YALH),
which is intended to hold
the groups interests in
ILs coee, duIry producLs,
cold storage and logistics
businesses.
IFC will invest up to 20
percent equity in YALH
with the remaining 80
percent held by Yoma
Strategic Investment Ltd,
a wholly-owned subsidi-
ary of YSH.
YSH signed an agree-
ment with UK-based
ED&F Man Holdings Ltd
(EDFM), an agricultural
commodities trader, to
plant and produce low-
Iund RobusLu coee wILI-
in the groups plantation
land at the Maw Tin Es-
tate in Ayeyarwaddy divi-
sion of Myanmar.
SMIDB Plans to Lend $21
Million to SMIs
Phyu Thit Lwin
S
tate-owned Small
and Medium Indus-
trial Bank (SMIDB)
plans to lend K20 billion
($20.6 million) to small
and medium entrepre-
neurs In LIe nexL hscuI
year, starting April 1, of-
hcIuI sources suId.
The Central Department
of Small and Medium En-
terprises Development
(CDSMED) under the
Ministry of Industry will
administer the loans to
entrepreneurs at 8.5 per-
cent interest rate, CDS-
MED Director Daw Aye
Aye Win said.
Germanys development
Small and medium enterprises in Myanmar comprise about 90 percent of the Southeast Asian countrys
economy, according to different estimates.
U
A
u
n
g
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in
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u
a
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. . , .q .:.~:. ~~ .. , .
... q:. . , ._e . .:.
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q .. .:...: Yoma
Strategic Holdings (YSH)
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March 20-26, 2014
Myanmar Business Today
mmbiztoday.com
32
ENTERTAINMENT
Myanmar to be Awarded Worlds
Best Tourist Destination for 2014
M
yanmar will be pre-
sented the award of
World Best Tourist
Destination for 2014 by the Eu-
ropean Union Council on Tour-
ism and Trade (ECTT) soon,
state-run media reported.
The award is aimed at boost-
ing Myanmars tourism in-
dustry and promoting tourist
attractions in the country, ac-
cording to the report.
The award is presented based
on ethics for tourism industry,
safety of tourists and preserva-
tion of cultural heritages des-
ignated by the United Nations
Tourism Division, United Na-
LIons EducuLIonuI, ScIenLIhc
and Cultural Organization (UN-
ESCO) and European Union
Council on Tourism and Trade,
according to ECTT website.
The Worlds Best Tourist Des-
tination Award, introduced in
2007, is one of the highest ac-
Kyaw Min
colades in the travel and tour-
ism industry in the world, ECTT
claims.
In 2006 a collective of inter-
national specialists in tourism,
tourist education, tourism reg-
ulation experts and academics
from European Union member
countries decided introduce the
prIze Lo Inuence und supporL
development of tourism in non
European Union countries.
ECTT board states: This
uwurd musL be oered Lo LIe
countries that are embracing
tourism as a resource for cul-
tural and social development,
who respect ethics of human
relations and preserve cultural
and natural heritage and ...
must prove their commitment
towards sustainable develop-
ment, fair tourism and histori-
cal preservation.
The title should act as a
booster for tourism in that
place but in according with in-
ternational tourism accepted
laws and regulation as decided
by ECTT, the body said.
Previous winners included
Laos (2013), Trinidad and To-
bago (2012), UAE (2011) and
South Korea (2010).
In the wake of dramatic in-
crease in tourist arrivals, Myan-
mar has planned to introduce
travel insurance services. How-
ever, the number of applicants
is still low.
To enhance development of
its tourism industry, Myanmar
opened four entry and exit gates
on the Myanmar-Thai border in
August last year. Meanwhile,
visa-on-arrival for visitors from
48 countries and regions has
uIso been oered Lo IucIIILuLe
their travel to the country.
In 2013, Myanmar attracted
over 2 million tourists, of whom
1.14 million entered through bor-
der gates and 885,476 through
airports. Myanmar targets 3 mil-
lion tourist arrivals in 2014.
Bugun Lodge OHers "Iumily Iscupe
O
ne of Myanmars newest
boutique resort Bagan
odge Is pIvoLIng o ILs
proximity to one of the worlds
greuL IerILuge sILes by oerIng
a family package that trades on
a Burmese tradition: the use of
thanaka as a face paint.
The hour-long program is a
component of the new hotels
Family Escape deal, which
Pann Nu
Pandaw Starts Work On New Vessel
S
ingapore-based river cruise company Pandaw has started
building a new vessel, after the sinking of one of its other
boats late last year.
The Saigon Pandaw was being towed to Myanmar when it sank
In Ieuvy seus o LIe cousL oI MuIuysIu In December.
To make up for the lost capacity, Pandaw is now working on
a new boat that will be used to ply the waters of Myanmars
Chindwin River, the company said.
The Kha Byoo is described as a river recce vessel, as it sits
just 75cm in the water, allowing it to explore further upstream
than other boats.
It will join the Kalay Pandaw on the Chindwin River, sailing
seven-night itineraries between Monywa and Homalin. These
trips can also be booked back-to-back with the new Kindat Pan-
daws Mandalay-Bhamo routing on the Irrawaddy River.
Measuring 40-metres-long, Kha Byoo will feature an owners
state room on the upper deck plus nine other cabins with French
windows that open on to promenades on either side of the ship.
There is also an indoor bar-dining area and outdoor deck.
The new vessel is being designed as a replica of the Irrawaddy
Flotilla Company ship of the same name, which plied the Bur-
mese waterways 100 years ago. Pandaw will be hoping however,
that the new boat has a less dramatic existence than its name-
sake; the original Kha Byoo spent three days caught in a whirl-
pool in the Irrawaddy in 1899.
Kha Byoo will be Pandaws 13th vessel, and following the un-
fortunate events surrounding the Saigon Pandaw, the company
will be hoping for a bit more luck with its latest boat.
Zayar Phyo
also includes two nights for two
adults and two children under
12 in a 55-square-metre Deluxe
Room with 17-square-metre
private veranda, breakfast, air-
port transfers and a roll-away
bed.
Under the tutelage of Bagan
Lodges resident thanaka ex-
perts, guests will get the chance
to learn when the fragrant paste
wus hrsL empIoyed us u Iuce
paint, where it comes from,
wIuL ILs cosmeLIc benehLs ure
and how to authentically and
creatively apply it.
Its no secret that most kids
usually want nothing more than
to play in a pool all day long, es-
pecially when on vacation, said
Jon Bourbaud, Bagan Lodges
general manager.
Weve got a fantastic pool.
But weve also got the ability to
provide an experience that gets
under the surface of this won-
derful culture.
Family Escape is priced at
$300 including tax and service
charge and is valid for stays be-
tween March 15 and October 14
this year.
Opened in August last year,
Bagan Lodge features 85 rooms
conceptualised by noted French
designer Brigitte Dumont de
Chassart and sits on the edge
of an archaeological wonder-
land home to more than 3,000
ancient temples, pagodas and
stupas.
Tourist at a sunset viewing spot on Shwe San Daw Pagoda in Bagan, Myanmar.
S
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The swimming pool at Bagan Lodge.
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