Speaking at the Phnom Penh Hotel on Wednesday, Tourism Secretary of State Chea Bora urged local ecotourism organisations to join a contest to identify the best ecotourism community in an effort to promote the industry in the Kingdom.

He said the Kingdom needed to promote its clean cities and quality service in the industry.

“Tourism products are the key to attract more tourists, so the contest will bring more activities into the tourism sector. This will ensure and promote gold-green tourism,” he said, referring to the ministry’s belief that environmentally sustainable tourism will help the industry bring in more money.

The ministry opened the contest and began accepting applications earlier this month. The deadline is in June and winners will be announced in December. It also announced the first video contest with the theme of tourism communities and ecotourism, and the second annual contest to find the best tourism resort.

Currently, Cambodia has 400 entertainment venues, while 56 tourism and ecotourism communities are licensed.

Tith Ly, the chief of a Stung Areng River ecotourism community in Koh Kong, plans to enter the contest for the best ecotourism community. “I will try my best to win, so that it will bring more tourists to my community, and my village will earn more from the tourism sector,” he said.