GMS travel show to be held in Myanmar ancient city

YANGON -- Tourism working group of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS)-Economic Cooperation will hold GMS travel show in Myanmar's ancient city of Bagan later this year for development of tourism as part of its economic cooperation in the subregion, according to tourism circle Thursday.

Six Mekong countries -- China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam will participate in the show, the sources said.

The 4,500-km Mekong river originates from China's Qinghai and runs through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam down to South China Sea near Ho Chi Minh city.

Myanmar, a member of the six-country GMS, has worked for closer economic ties together with other members of the grouping.

Tourism-related figures show that the number of tourist arrivals in Myanmar reached 106,795 in the first three months of 2011, up 24 percent from 85,519 in 2010 correspondingly.

Visitors from Thailand stood top in Myanmar's tourist arrival, followed by those from China, France, South Korea and America.