YANGON, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar has invited bid for transforming Mandalay International Airport into logistics hub aimed at creating direct transportation of goods to other countries in Asia and Europe, official media reported Thursday.

The winner from the private sector will be announced by the end of this month, said the New Light of Myanmar.

The tender winning company is set to start building infrastructure and installing necessary devices at the Mandalay International Airport in September with an investment of more than 100 million U.S. dollars.

The Mandalay International Airport, accessible from every part of Myanmar within three hours of flight, has been designated a logistics hub due to its strategically geographic position for the Asian continent.

As the Mandalay International Airport, located 35 km south of the second largest city of Mandalay, is among one of the airports with the longest runways, cargo planes can take off from and land on it.

As Mandalay is situated on ASEAN-China and ASEAN-India routes, goods from China and India can be shipped to other Asian countries and European countries via Mandalay International Airport within a short period of time.

Likewise, agricultural produce from states likes Kachin, Shan, Chin and Rakhine and manufactured goods of plants and industries in Mandalay will also be transported to other countries by air.

At present, 22 international airlines and seven local airlines are operating in Myanmar.