(a) Hotel Business means an economic enterprise which has the number of rooms and is of the standard stipulated for accommodation of tourists and which provides food, beverage and other services. This expression includes motel business and inn business;

(b) Lodging-House Business means an economic enterprise which provides only accommodation for foreign tourists or for both domestic and foreign tourists;

(c) Tourism Industry includes a tour operator business, travel agency business, tourist transport business and tour guide business which are economic enterprises which provide for tourism of foreign tourists;

(d) Foreign Tourist means international tourists and foreign visitors;

(e) Hotel and Tourism Industry means hotel business, lodging-house business and tourism industry;

(f) Licence means a permit issued by the Directorate to operate any hotel and tourism industry;

(g) Ministry means the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism;

(h) Minister means the Minister of the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism;

(i) Directorate means the Directorate of Hotels and Tourism;

(j) inspectorate means a body formed by the Directorate in order to inspect hotel and tourism industry.

(a) to cause a systematic development of the hotel and tourism industry;

(b) to enable tourists to observe Myanmar cultural heritage and natural scenic beauty;

(c) to prevent destruction and damage of Myanmar cultural heritage and natural scenic beauty, due to the hotel and tourism industry;

(d) to contribute to international friendship and understanding through the hotel and tourism industry;

(e) to develop technical knowledge relating to hotel and tourism industry and to open up more employment opportunities;

(f) to provide security and satisfaction of tourists.

(a) shall form the Hotel Tourism Board of Authority consisting of the following persons:

(i) Minister Chairman

(ii) representatives from the relevant Government Member Departments and Organization

(iii) a person assigned responsibility by the Chairman Secretary

(b) may determine the Deputy Chairman and Joint Secretary of the Hotel and Tourism Board of Authority, if necessary;

(c) may alter the formation of the Hotel and Tourism Board of Authority.

(a) laying down the policies relating to hotel and tourism industry in accordance with the objectives of this Law;

(b) giving guidance in respect of the systematic development of the hotel and tourism industry;

(c) giving guidance in respect of international relations relating to hotel and tourism industry;

(d) giving guidance for improving the quality and raising the standard of hotel and tourism industry and for systematic dissemination of technical knowledge relating thereto,

(a) supervising the performance of functions of the Directorate in accordance with the objectives of this Law;

(b) implementing the systematic development of hotel and tourism industry;

(c) communicating with foreign countries, international organizations, and other organizations and persons in respect of the hotel and tourism industry;

(d) holding discussions, seminars and exhibitions for improving the quality and raising the standard of hotel and tourism industry and for the systematic dissemination of technical relating thereto;

(e) permitting, causing alterations to be made or refusing a project proposal applied for in order to obtain prior permission by a person desirous of operating a hotel business or a lodging-hose business;

(f) determining the type, classification or business requirements for each hotel business or lodging house business;

(g) determining the type and business requirements of a tourism industry;

(h) laying down the required arrangements and measures for arousing keener interest of foreign tourists in facts about Myanmar and to enhance their desires to visit and observe Myanmar;

(i) determining hotel and tourism zones;

(j) co-ordinating with the relevant Government Departments and Organizations to facilitate obtainment of entry visas and extension of tenure of the same for foreign tourists:

(k) co-ordinating with the relevant Government Departments and Organizations and forming Hotel and Tourism Industry Supervisory Bodies in the States, Divisions, Districts and Townships as may be necessary and determining the functions and duties thereof;

(l) determining the licence fee, licence renewal fee, licence fine and duties and taxes relating to hotel and tourism industry;

(m) submitting to the Government form time to time progress of the activities relating to hotel and tourism industry.

(a) carrying out in accordance with the policies and guidance laid down by the Hotel and Tourism Board of Authority and the Ministry:

(b) forming Licence Scrutiny Bodies in order to scrutinize cases of applications for licence and determining the functions and duties thereof;

(c) issuing licence, refusing to issue licence; revoking the licence subject to a time limit or cancelling the licence;

(d) stipulating conditions relating to the licence;

(e) providing training and conducting courses to improve the quality and to raise the standard of hotel and tourism industry and to disseminate systematically technical knowledge relating thereto;

(f) forming Inspectorates to enable inspection of the hotel and tourism industry and determining the functions and duties thereof;

(g) supervising all activities of the hotel and tourism industry;

(h) giving decision in a case submitted by a licence-holder who is dissatisfied with the activity in an official capacity of the Hotel and Tourism Industry Supervisory Body or an Inspectorate;

(i) recovering duties and taxes due under this Law from a defaulter in the manner prescribed.

(a) shall, in respect of an application by a person desirous of operating a hotel business or a hotel business or lodging-house business under or section 8 scrutinize, based on the following facts: -

(i) whether or not it is in conformity with the objectives of this Law;

(ii) whether or not it is contributory to future projects;

(iii) whether or not it is proportionate to the capacity of service of the area where the business is to be operated.

(b) may permit, cause to be altered or refuse the project proposal after scrutiny under sub-section (a)

(c) cancellation of the licence;

(d) surrender of the licence by the licence-holder.

(a) issue a licence if it is in conformity;

(b) refuse to issue a licence if it is not in conformity.

(a) shall operate only the business permitted in the licence;

(b) shall pay the licence fee and the duties and taxes relating to the hotel and tourism industry in Myanmar currency or in foreign currency in the manner prescribed;

(c) shall abide by the conditions of the licence;

(d) shall allow inspection by the Hotel and Tourism Industry Supervisory Body and the Inspectorate;

(e) shall send the accounts and records prescribed by the Directorate in the manner prescribed;

(f) shall, where the tenure of the licence has expired and if there is the desire to continue to operate the business apply for extension of the tenure of the licence in the manner prescribed;

(g) shall abide by the orders and directives issued from time to time by the Ministry or the Directorate;

(b) If there is a change of address of the place of business, the licence-holder or the manager assigned responsibility by him shall inform the Directorate in writing of any such change;

(c) If the licence-holder dies before the expiry of the tenure of the licence, his legal representative shall apply to the Directorate in the manner prescribed.

(a) violation of any condition of the licence;

(b) transferring the business without the permission of the Directorate;

(c) sale of the licence.

(a) expiry of the tenure of the licence;

(b) revocation of the licence, subject to a time limit;

(c) cancellation of the licence;

(d) surrender of the licence by the licence-holder

(a) shall not violate any condition of the licence;

(b) shall not violate any duty contained in the provision of section 18;

(c) shall not violate any prohibition contained in an order or directive issued by the Ministry or the Directorate.

(b) If a person who has been convicted under sub-section (a) continues to violate the provision of section 23, he shall be punished with a fine of kyats 5000 for each day of the period during which the violation continues.

(a) the Ministry may, with the approval of the Government issue such rules and procedures as may be necessary;

(b) the Ministry or the Directorate may issue such orders, notifications and directives as may be necessary.