Ma Phyu Phyu Shwe (right) with a client.

WHEN Ma In In Thaw earned her tour guide licence in 1995, she knew that meeting the challenges of the job would require more than just an enthusiasm for travel, particularly as a woman stepping into a realm traditionally reserved for men.

“As a woman tour guide, I have faced a number of challenges, from people misunderstanding my job to my parents being worried because in the past being a tour guide was considered inappropriate for women,” she said.

“But during the tour guide training program we were taught how to give tourists a positive impression of Myanmar women through our behaviour, clothing and ways of communicating,” she said.

Ma In In Thaw’s enthusiasm for the job finally convinced her parents to let her follow her dream, which she had developed at the age of seven after seeing her brother working as a tour guide at Myanmar Travels and Tours.

“I was inspired by my brother, who always told us about his experiences with his guests after returning from a tour,” she said, adding that her interest led her to read books about different regions of Myanmar and to start learning other languages.

“Visiting different places around the country while guiding tourists only strengthens my interest and enthusiasm,” she said.

Now 29 years of age, Ma In In Thaw began working as a tour guide in 2000 and has since accumulated five years of experience – two working freelance for various travel companies and three as a permanent guide at Diethelm Travel Ltd.

Although she earned a degree in English from Yangon University in 2001, she continued studying the French language at Alliance Française to increase her career opportunities.

It turned out to be a good move, as most of her clients during the high season from December to April are French speakers, although she does get some English-speaking clients as well.

Ma In In Thaw’s first trip as a guide was to Bagan, Mandalay and Inle Lake with an American couple, which she said she found very exciting.

“I really enjoy being a tour guide and representing my country,” she said, adding that she was proud of introducing tourists to Myanmar traditions, cultures, lifestyles, landscapes and historical sites.

She said she continues to build her skills as a professional guide, including increasing her knowledge of places she visits frequently and learning how to cater to the different types of tourists she meets.

“Whether you are a woman or a man, the main responsibility of a tour guide is to give the clients a feeling of satisfaction,” she said.

Ma Thanegi Oo, a 29-year-old woman who has been working as a tour guide since 1996, said one reason she chose the profession was because she knew she could earn a healthy income.

“Plus, being a tour guide lets me work without the pressure of being in an office, and also fulfills my passion for travel,” she said.

Like Ma In In Thaw, Ma Thanegi Oo also encountered resistance from her parents when she decided to become a tour guide, but she remained firm in her decision.

“I know what I am doing, so I don’t worry too much about the opinions of people who can’t accept the idea of women working with foreigners or coming home late,” she said.

Ma Thanegi Oo started by working with English-speaking tourists, but has also learned French and Spanish to expand her client base.

“Most of my work is with French people in the high season from October to February, and with Spanish people during the rainy season from June to September,” she said, adding that she led very few English-speaking tours.

“The more languages I know, the more opportunities I have,” she said.
She also reads books to learn more about everything from Myanmar culture and lifestyles, to economics.

“A tour guide needs to be aware of all this because not everyone’s interests are the same, and detailed information may be needed on a variety of specialised subjects,” she said.

Ma Thanegi Oo’s first tour as a guide was to Mandalay, Bagan and Inle Lake, but she was not satisfied with her work because she was not able to answer questions about some plants or about local products at Inle Lake that she had never seen before.

“I realised that it is not enough for tour guides to read books – they need to see the places in person – but they also need to keep reading to supplement their knowledge,” she said.

Ma Phyu Phyu Shwe, a 36-year-old Japanese-language guide with nine years of experience in the travel industry, said she chose to become a tour guide because she wanted to experience the challenges of the profession as she entered middle age.

“I didn’t want to spend those years teaching Japanese in a quiet classroom,” she said, although she does continue to teach some language classes in the off-season.

Ma Phyu Phyu Shwe said she was taught Japanese by her father, who spent many years working with Japanese people at a language training school.
“By the time I was six I knew some Japanese words at a very basic level,” she said.

Majoring in geography at university has also helped her career as a tour guide, she said.

Unlike many women, Ma Phyu Phyu Shwe did not experience any opposition from her parents when she chose her career.

“I always take care of every detail when I deal with tourists, and I am confident that through knowing me they will see how smart and humble the people of Myanmar are,” she said.