@article{ART003366057},
author={Myo Oo},
title={From Pilgrimage to Leisure Travel: The Historical Evolution of Domestic Tourism in Myanmar},
journal={SUVANNABHUMI},
issn={2092-738X},
year={2026},
volume={18},
number={2},
pages={267-284},
doi={10.22801/svn.2026.18.2.267}
TY - JOUR
AU - Myo Oo
TI - From Pilgrimage to Leisure Travel: The Historical Evolution of Domestic Tourism in Myanmar
JO - SUVANNABHUMI
PY - 2026
VL - 18
IS - 2
PB - Korea Institute for ASEAN Studies
SP - 267
EP - 284
SN - 2092-738X
AB - This study examines the historical evolution of domestic tourism in Myanmar, tracing its progression from traditional Buddhist pilgrimage to contemporary leisure-centered travel.
Historically, religious devotion characterized the travel landscape; however, the 1996 Visit Myanmar Year campaign signified a crucial transition towards varied recreational activities and the development of secular destinations.
Despite the significance of these transitions, a scholarly gap remains regarding the long-term historical development of Myanmar’s domestic tourism sector. Drawing on colonial-era literary sources, this paper argues that the transformation of domestic tourism was not a sudden postcolonial phenomenon but was rooted in the shifting economic and administrative conditions of the colonial period. Specifically, it identifies pagoda festivals as a critical transitional phase where religious practice began to incorporate commercial activities, social entertainment, and modern infrastructure. By analyzing how these festivals reconfigured pilgrimage into a multifaceted experience, the study demonstrates that the boundaries between the sacred and the secular in Myanmar’s travel culture have long been fluid, laying the essential foundation for modern domestic leisure tourism.
KW - Domestic tourism;Myanmar;Buddhist pilgrimage; pagoda festivals;leisure travel tourism
DO - 10.22801/svn.2026.18.2.267
ER -
Myo Oo. (2026). From Pilgrimage to Leisure Travel: The Historical Evolution of Domestic Tourism in Myanmar. SUVANNABHUMI, 18(2), 267-284.
Myo Oo. 2026, "From Pilgrimage to Leisure Travel: The Historical Evolution of Domestic Tourism in Myanmar", SUVANNABHUMI, vol.18, no.2 pp.267-284. Available from: doi:10.22801/svn.2026.18.2.267
Myo Oo "From Pilgrimage to Leisure Travel: The Historical Evolution of Domestic Tourism in Myanmar" SUVANNABHUMI 18.2 pp.267-284 (2026) : 267.
Myo Oo. From Pilgrimage to Leisure Travel: The Historical Evolution of Domestic Tourism in Myanmar. 2026; 18(2), 267-284. Available from: doi:10.22801/svn.2026.18.2.267
Myo Oo. "From Pilgrimage to Leisure Travel: The Historical Evolution of Domestic Tourism in Myanmar" SUVANNABHUMI 18, no.2 (2026) : 267-284.doi: 10.22801/svn.2026.18.2.267
Myo Oo. From Pilgrimage to Leisure Travel: The Historical Evolution of Domestic Tourism in Myanmar. SUVANNABHUMI, 18(2), 267-284. doi: 10.22801/svn.2026.18.2.267
Myo Oo. From Pilgrimage to Leisure Travel: The Historical Evolution of Domestic Tourism in Myanmar. SUVANNABHUMI. 2026; 18(2) 267-284. doi: 10.22801/svn.2026.18.2.267
Myo Oo. From Pilgrimage to Leisure Travel: The Historical Evolution of Domestic Tourism in Myanmar. 2026; 18(2), 267-284. Available from: doi:10.22801/svn.2026.18.2.267
Myo Oo. "From Pilgrimage to Leisure Travel: The Historical Evolution of Domestic Tourism in Myanmar" SUVANNABHUMI 18, no.2 (2026) : 267-284.doi: 10.22801/svn.2026.18.2.267
