Mr. Khun Tun Oo, the Project Director for Community Involved Tourism in the Pa-O region, has been working in the tourism industry in Shan State for over two decades. He established the Golden Island Cottages Travel & Tour Team in 2007 and is a key member. In 2015, he started working on the Community Involved Tourism in Pa-O Region (CITPAR), which proved to be a turning point in his career. He worked with various stakeholders such as INGOs, NGOs, and local communities to implement the CITPAR project in the eastern part of the Inle Regions.
As a pioneer of Community-Based Tourism (CBT) in the local communities, Khun Tun Oo faced many challenges to fully implement the project. However, with significant efforts and cooperation from different parties, the CITPAR project was successful. The project received several notable awards, including Socially Responsible Award 2017-2018 at the IBT Berlin, Best Community Involved Tourism of the Year 2017 by the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism of Myanmar, and Certified ASEAN Community Based Tourism Standard 2017-2019.
Khun Tun Oo’s dedication and contribution to the Tourism Industry are not only benefiting the Shan State and the Pa-O community but also the nation as a whole. He was honored with the Social Excellence Award (Third Tire) in 2018-2019 by the Shan State Government.