TWENTY new hotels in Cambodia have been granted licences during the first six months of the year, a figure that Tourism Ministry officials called a “strong sign for the tourism sector” yesterday.

The new hotels will join another 110 that received licences during the period, the ministry’s Tourism Industry Department Director Prak Chan Dara said yesterday.

“The number of tourists increases every year – that’s why we need the hotels,” as gradual economic recovery has spurred growth in tourist arrivals, he said.

“We hope the number of new hotels will continue to grow in the second half of the year,” he said.

Aside from the opening of hotels amid poor domestic economic conditions, he said, there was ample evidence of the tourism industry’s long-term growth.

“Despite the world economic crisis, tourists are still coming,” he said. “The number of tourists is increasing every year – that’s why I decided to open.”

Figures obtained by the Post earlier this week show that 455 hotels are licensed to operate in the Kingdom, and they are required to renew their licences every two years.

Ratanakkiri Tourism Department director Nget Pitou said the province had seen three new hotels and seven guesthouses during the first half of the year.

The province now has seven hotels and 21 guesthouses, but needs more, he said.

“It is not enough for tourists, and we have no facilities for big events,” he said. “We need more hotels and guesthouses in Ratanakkiri.”