TOURISTS are beginning to wake up to the attractions of Burma. Last year, 61,000 visited the country and 100,000 arrivals are forecast for 1994.
However, the figure already passed 40,000 in the first three months of this year.
The military government plans a ''Visit Myanmar Year'' (the junta re-named the country some years ago) in 1996 with a target of 500,000 visitors, but at the moment there are only about 2,000 hotel rooms, of which less than 400 would be rated three star or better.
The majority of these are in the principal tourist destinations of Rangoon and Mandalay.
The scope for the development of hotel projects is enormous but, because of a shortage of capital, the government is encouraging outside investors.
Present forecasts are for 6,000 quality hotel rooms by 1998 through foreign investment, with Hong Kong companies among those leading the way.