Yangon, Feb 26 (IANS): Myanmar's largest international airport will be opened in 2020, a year later than scheduled, officials said Thursday.
According to the Department of Civil Aviation, Myanmar is seeking $700 million loan with low interest rate from Japan for the Hanthawaddy International Airport project in Bago region, Xinhua reported.
The $1.4-billion project will be built on 3,645 hectares of land where the Japanese army built an airport during the second World War.
About 77 km north-east of Yangon, the international airport, the country's fourth and largest of its kind, is projected to handle up to 12 million passengers a year and is set to become the primary gateway to Myanmar, drawing more direct international flights.
According to official data, the number of tourist arrivals to Myanmar has increased in the last few years -- 1.06 million in 2012, 2.04 million in 2013 and 3.05 million in 2014.