A coordination meeting at the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement yesterday discussed promoting the inclusion of people living with disabilities (PLWD) in the hotels and travel sector.
National Committee on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (NCRPD) Vice Chairman Dr Win Myat Aye, who is also the Union Minister of the aforementioned ministry, first gave a speech. He said the hotels and tourism business supports the socioeconomic development of the nation. He said the Union Government places as much importance on ensuring the rights of persons with disabilities as developing the hotels and tourism sector. A report released by the World Bank states that the people most interested in the global travel business are persons with disabilities and the elderly. The Union Minister said the Ministry of Construction is to make public buildings and its environment more accessible for persons with disabilities. He said that as officials from the Myanmar Hotel Entrepreneurs Association, Myanmar Tourism Federation, 11 affiliated organizations and other relevant personnel are here, the meeting can discuss how to remove obstacles for persons with disabilities in the hotels and tourism sector.
Next, the Director-General of the Rehabilitation Department explained the implementation process of the previous meeting’s decisions. Including making hotels accessible for persons with disabilities and installing wheelchair access to stairs and restrooms. At the end of the meeting, the Union Minister delivered a closing speech where he urged full cooperation between the National Committee on Rights of Persons with Disabilities, National Tourism Development Central Committee, organizations for persons with disabilities, and all citizens. There are a total of 2,021 hotels and accommodations throughout Myanmar and a workforce of 86,406 employees working at them, yet only 51 of them are persons with disabilities.
MNA (Translated by Zaw Htet Oo)
Ref:The Global New Light of Myanmar
Photo: MNANay Pyi Taw