I recently had the opportunity to make a trip the city of Yangon. While in Yangon, I visited the region of Bago - it is located from 80km outside of Yangon. It's one of the primary rice growing regions and is also famous for some of its pagodas. One of the interesting sites near the city centre of this region is the site of the original Kambawzathadi Palace. This was the residence of one of the 3 better-known monarchs of the country.Foundations of the original palace were discovered at the site and the authorities rebuilt what is supposed to be a replica of the palace, including the king's bed chamber. Anyway, the site now stands as a sort of tourist attraction though lacking in the usual augmentation that accompanies such sites.
My first instinct was to view this place as a possible venue for M.I.C.E. activities. There are 2 fairly spacious halls - great for holding banquents, workshops, seminars and possibly exhibitions. However, this is where we need to take a 360 degree approach when considering venues for M.I.C.E. activities. Here are some points to note:
- the venue owner needs to be open to allowing the venue to be used for such activities
- the site needs to be accessible; this palace is a good 2-hr drive from the city of Yangon
- the site needs to be equipped with proper utilities - power supply, water
- the site needs to be equipped to host visitors for a considerable length of time (i.e. 2 hours or more); this palace does not have toilet facilities
- the site needs to look the part; although a palace, the grounds of this site were not reflective of the grandeur that usually represents a palace
I hope that some of the government officers I met in Yangon will be able to convey some of these points to the relevant authorities - yes I did bring this up with them. Just imagine - a royal banquet for important conference delegates or VIP buyers attending an exhibition being held on the actual site of one of the country's greatest rulers. Now that is what I call a value experience!