| charlotte112018:49 UTC30 Oct 2007 | Has anyone used this agency? If so, would you recommend it? I would like to use the services of a local travel agency. But I am having trouble figuring out which is "local" and which is "foreign owned". I was all set to go with Exotissimo. But then a private guide I was interviewing told me that it is owned by the French. If anyone understands the nuances of all this, I sure would appreciate it. Thanks so much.
Charlotte
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| solohobo18:50 UTC30 Oct 2007 | "Exotissimo seem to have foreign ownership."
They are German/Austrian owned, and you will have hard time in developing countries finding a top notch tour company thats not owned by a foreigner.
They have huge expensive busses, Smithsonian type trained historical guides, and all the trimmings, what would you expect?
If you just walk out the door of say the say the local guesthouse like Royal City, you can hire a local, in a old truck that barely runs, and get the tour as well, for about $13, and support a local, easy as 1-2-3.
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| suemcgregor07:19 UTC31 Oct 2007 | Can I recommend that you try U Tin Win? He works for himself and I recently used his services to organise a trip for 17 days for my husband and two friends and he was excellent He is definitely NOT associated with the government He is a typical kind and friendly Myanmar person!! Please try his services I don't think you will be disappointed. wint@myanmar.com.mm
Tell him "sister Sue" recommended him ( and no I don't get any kickbacks I just want people to use his services!!)
Sue
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| tripmonkeys08:06 UTC31 Oct 2007 | I am with solo, I loved the fact that you could walk outside the guest house and there would be someone in a little blue mazda ute thingy and a guide who would take you to places you would never have gotten to. Another outstanding thing, having travelled throughout SE Asia noticing that in Myanmar you would be waiting for your guide and someone naturally would ask if you required a guide or driver and you could say no thanks I have one coming. They would say, ok no worries and not hassle you, not heard of in other parts of Asia where the people don't care who they rip off. In Australlia we call it cutting someones lunch. .
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| sarahbernhardt06:10 UTC01 Nov 2007 | OP-
Exotissimo is indeed French-owned as the guide you spoke to said.
If you're looking for a tour company with no connections to the regime you wont find one.
All tour companies within Burma come under the auspices of the Ministry for Hotels and Tourism. This ministry set up some organisations , the Myanmar Tourism Promotion Board and the Union of Myanmar Travel Association for starters in conjunction with the so-called private -sector. The SPDC sit on their boards and augment their tourism policy through them. They hold trade-fairs, conferences and regular meetings in conjunction with the private-sector.They tell you, as a tourist using the services of a tour company, where you can go and how you can do it.There are well over 500 tour companies in Burma, a dozen or so are direct economic joint ventures with the "government", one or two entirely foreign-owned and the rest so-called private-sector. Of the latter many are owned by the families of the junta or their cronies, all have to be licensed, pay license fees, taxes and kickbacks.A few smaller tour companies have emerged in the last few years. If these are your line in the sand good luck finding them and ensuring they dont have connections with the regime.
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| tripmonkeys06:29 UTC01 Nov 2007 | Which way did you travel Sarahbernhardt? privately or with a tour company?
Give us a break if you have never travelled to Myanmar how can you give advice?
An elementary question really.
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