Mt Popa, Myanmar’s first National Geopark, to launch geotourism

It is under arrangement to launch geopark-based tourism in the Mount Popa National Geopark, which will become the first of its kind in Myanmar, according to Ko Tin Ko Min from Maha Giri Community-based Geotourism Services.
The inauguration of Mount Popa National Geopark was held on 20 March, and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation is preserving the natural endowment of biodiversity, ecosystem and unique geological features sustainably after categorizing the area into ten geolocations.
“Our office is situated in Tawza Chaung village at the foot of Mount Popa. Our base camp is also there. We want to continue working as a maintenance team,” said Ko Tin Ko Min.
Geotourism activities will include an excursion to the volcano, as well as a biodiversity study tour and knowledge sharing with guests, he said.
“People are not yet coming here for the geopark. They come to hike or stay overnight. We haven’t put together a package tour yet. We still need to survey the designated sites in the geopark. We haven’t done the survey yet,” he said.
It will be developed as a community-based tourism project, and they also aim to organize locals in the surrounding villages to participate in geopark-based tourism. — Htet Oo Maung/ZN/ED