Avalon Waterways is canceling its 2019 Irrawaddy cruises in
Myanmar due a lack of interest and sales.
"This decision is not based on safety or security
issues," Avalon said in a statement. "While our operations remain
distant from locations of any incidents within Myanmar, interest among U.S.
travelers to Myanmar for 2019 has waned."
Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims have reportedly
fled their homes since last year in the northern Rakhine province of Myanmar,
where there have been reports of hundreds if not thousands of deaths in what
the United Nations has described as ethnic cleansing.
Avalon launched Irawaddy cruises in 2015, partnering with
Burmese company Ayravata Cruises, operator of the 36-passegner, all-suite
Avalon Myanmar. At the time, tourism to Myanmar was booming.
The company will continue its Irrawaddy cruises through
2018.