Page 12 - Volumne 18 Number 5

the region, targeting high-end tourists while employing local inhabitants who would otherwise be endangering the islands’ biodiversity. Currently, these islands are only accessible by sea and the government has seen the need to establish air access. The plan is to set up a seaplane operation in the area, to assist the development of the archipelago. Caravans on floats would be a great addition to this plan.Myanmar has a long coastline and a large fertile river valley spanning much of the country. It is rich in natural resources, such as gas, oil, timber, gold and precious gems. It has a long and deep history, dating from the time of the first known human settlements 13,000 years ago. Bagan is one of the many places in Myanmar that showcase its rich history and a unique Buddhist culture that remains to this day. Immigration policies have seen a lot of relaxation recently, but more could be done and steps are being taken to make traveling intoMyanmar easier. Foreign investment laws and tax laws are being rewritten to ensure that investing in Myanmar is easy, safe and profitable.A Bright FutureThe overall economy of Myanmar has improved beyond anyone’s expectations over the past three to four years. The new government has made bold reforms and has taken major political risks to fix some important issues that were plaguing the old economy. The international support and response to the changes have been a tremendous encouragement for the economy. For example, four years ago Myanmar was one of three countries in the world where you could not purchase Coca Cola. Today there are only two, North Korea and Cuba.Among all the industries in Myanmar, aviation is one of the fastest-growing over the past few years and it is growing exponentially. This is despite the challenges thatthe operators are still facing today, such as very high taxes on aviation fuel and aviation imports. The country is still lacking in certain aspects that could play a key factor in further growth, like airport infrastructure, banking support, internet connectivity, qualified human resources, political stability, middle-class spending power, cheap capital and travel accommodations. All these factors are being looked into by the government and are in the process of being changed or improved to help operators become competitive in the region and internationally. Improvement in air transport contributes heavily to economic growth and vice versa. It is a vicious cycle, but the first steps are being taken to get it going.Internet and cell phone availability have improved in all aspects: The availability has increased, the price has decreased, the usage has increased, the quality has generally improved, and the choices10 • TWIN & TURBINEMAY 2014