Friendly and Hostile Governments Overseas
Certain statesview tourism as a means to demonstrate friendship and consolidate ties with Myanmar. For example, Singapore enjoys good relations with the country and confrontation with a fellow ASEAN member would be awkward diplomatically for the Association. In addition, tourism is a mine of commercial opportunities and Singapore is a major investor in Myanmar’s industry. A consortium of Singapore companies established SMILE (Singapore–Myanmar International Leisure Enterprises) as a focal point for cooperation in the mid-1990s when Myanmar was lauded by Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry as an ‘excellent platform for investment’ with ‘enormous tourism potential’ which ‘should be shared with the rest of the world’ (Yeo, 1995: 2).