My Local Passion

Nov 9, 2022

What is My Local Passion?

My Local Passion is an online tourism platform that aims to inspire its readers with real-life stories about impressive women, hard-working youth, places where you can rejuvenate and businesses with a sustainable focus. We also promote Myanmar’s culture, ethnic traditions, tourist destinations, and small local businesses. We strive to create an accurate and balanced portrayal of Myanmar and its people.

MLP was founded in May 2021 with financial support from CBI (Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries) which falls under the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ development efforts. And ITC (International Trade Centre) from the United Nations.

Who are we?

We are a group of 14 independent youths, women, and tourism professionals from all over Myanmar who cherish Myanmar and its cultures. We come from different ethnic backgrounds and have different skills, but we all share a love for Myanmar and its people. We believe that by working together, we can make a difference in our country. We are united to create an alternative tourism platform that is more authentic, interactive, reliable, and informative than anything else in Myanmar today. We believe that by doing so, our travel and tourism industry becomes a force for good and contributes to the sustainable and peaceful development of Myanmar. My Local Passion is about connecting people with the real Myanmar, and we hope that through our work we can help more people fall in love with this amazing country, inspire them to come and leave a positive impact during their visits.

Focus on Women and Youth Empowerment

MLP has given job opportunities, especially to women and youths who are tourism professionals. We focus on women and youth empowerment by giving them job opportunities. Not only do we empower women and youths, but we also focus on the communities as we want to see changes in the lives of local people. As tourism is one of the most powerful sectors in the world, it can create jobs and bring economic growth to a country. With our experience and knowledge about tourism, we want to help make Myanmar a better destination for tourists, while also making positive impacts on the lives of local communities.

International Links & Working Opportunities

Through our international links with CBI, we got the opportunity to develop websites and content for tour operator Ntanda Ventures and ZATO tour association in Zambia. We are also in touch with the MRTI and MVMT. The Myanmar Responsible Tourism Institute (MRTI) is a non-profit organization aiming to support responsible tourism development in Myanmar through knowledge sharing, training, and research. MVMT(My Voice My Tourism) project is a youth organization that mainly focuses on sharing knowledge, updated information, and awareness related to Tourism/Hospitality and Environmental conservation deliveries to youths in different Myanmar through online and offline activities.

What do we do?

My Local Passion is a social enterprise that works with communities to promote and provide local tourism experiences. We promote tourism-related businesses including hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops, tour operators, transportation services, tour guides and local products. Our goal is to promote the local tourism industry and help businesses thrive. Instead of a total boycott to the Myanmar tourism industry which will have a severe impact on the livelihoods of local communities who already suffer a lot because of the conflict and impact of covid-19. We believe that by supporting local tourism businesses, we can create jobs, spur economic growth and conserve the unique culture and heritage of Myanmar. So far we have published over 600 businesses from different parts of Myanmar and promote their business through our website and social media channels. We are also working on developing new marketing initiatives such as partnering with local businesses and organizations. These efforts will help promote the image of Myanmar as a safe and attractive travel destination while at the same sustaining the livelihoods of local communities.

We also work with the local community to identify hidden gems and local products that non-locals may not be aware of. We then create and publish stories around these local experiences, culture, traditions, and women and youth empowerment.

Activities and Improvements

Competitions for Local Development

My Local Passion is always looking for new and exciting ways to support local talent. We help to showcase the talent and experience of local people. In 2021, My Local Passion held an article competition with the aim of supporting local story artists and content writers. In 2022, MLP is looking to support and showcase the talents of local photographers, and we launched our first photo competition in July and the deadline is July-September.

My Local Zay

We have launched My Local Zay, a start-up entrepreneurship e-commerce website, to promote made in Myanmar products. All the products available on the website are made by local brands. By offering only products made locally, we aim to empower and develop the sustainability of small local businesses and the local community.

We are also working on a star-rating system survey that showcases the positive impact of tourism businesses. We are planning to send out a survey to local tourism businesses to empower visitors to spend their travel money with a positive impact sustainably and spend more on local businesses and support them.

Be a Part of MLP

Volunteer Opportunities

We are always excited to welcome women and youth who are looking for volunteer opportunities to help further their careers and education. We believe that volunteerism is an essential part of personal and professional development, and we are honored to be able to offer our time and resources to help others grow.

Development Partners

We are actively seeking opportunities to partner with development organizations that want to train local businesses. We believe that by investing in the growth of local businesses, we can create a more sustainable and prosperous future for our community. If you are interested in learning more about our volunteer opportunities or partnering with us, don’t hesitate to contact us.