 Should you visit Myanmar?
Myanmar's military regime, led by the State Law & Order Restoration Council (SLORC), allowed a democratic election for a new government in 1990. The National League for Democracy (NLD) won the election but was not permitted to take the reins of government. The NLD MPs formed a provisional government in exile called the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB). From November 1996 to October 1997 SLORC ran a Visit Myanmar Year campaign: the NCGUB made the following statement (which really applies to anyone planning to visit Myanmar at any time):
Tourists should not engage in activities that will only benefit SLORC's coffers and not the people of Burma. However, responsible individuals and organisations who wish to verify the facts and to publicise the plight of the Burmese people are encouraged to utilise SLORC's more relaxed tourist policies. Aung San Suu Kyi, high-profile representative of the NLD, has also said: `We are totally against the Visit Myanmar campaign.' Lonely Planet believes it is essential to respect the wishes of the genuine representatives of the people of Myanmar.
Potential travellers will need to make their own judgement. If you do decide to travel to Myanmar there are steps you can take to avoid bolstering the government's coffers. For example: avoid staying in government-owned hotels; don't travel on tours operated by Myanmar Travels & Tours (MTT); don't use modes of transport for which the tickets are controlled by MTT (eg, the Mandalay Express train and the Mandalay-Bagan tourist boat); use ordinary public transport or charter private vehicles (all perfectly legal now); buy handicrafts directly from the artisans rather than from government shops; stay at private, locally owned hotels and guest houses.
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