Tourists walk in front of Angkor Wat on a warm day in July. Hong Menea
Prime Minister Hun Manet has directed both Minister of Tourism Sok Soken and his predecessor Thong Khon to work together to devise a strategy for boosting tourist numbers, particularly in Siem Reap province, during the annual peak season.
He gave the instruction while addressing nearly 20,000 factory workers in Phnom Penh’s Meanchey district on October 3.
“I suggested to [Soken] and Senior Minister in charge of Special Missions Thong Khon that they address this matter. For instance, Thai tourists are currently required to have a passport to enter Cambodia – perhaps we could streamline the process by accepting Thai national ID cards upon entry,” he explained.
He noted that during discussions with the Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin , he had requested an increase in direct flights between Siem Reap and the Thai resort island of Phuket. While meeting with Philippine President Bongbong Marcos, he proposed the establishment of direct routes from Cebu to Cambodia.
“The number of arrivals has been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic … Now we have witnessed an increase, even though it’s not yet the peak tourist season. Typically, the high season runs from mid-October to March, when many people take vacations. I would like to hear more from the authorities in Siem Reap,” he added.
Thuon Sinan, head of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Cambodia chapter, suggested several ideas to attract tourists.
He believed that the government should focus on the prevention of online crimes in the country as their first measure. He also stressed the importance of a sustained and robust online promotion of the Kingdom’s tourism attractions, and called for Cambodian embassies worldwide to intensify their efforts in promoting tourism.
He also recommended that the government consider extending the current 15-day visa on arrival available to guests from the ASEAN region.
“Why is Thailand recovering so swiftly? Over four million foreigners reside there. The Thai government introduced long-stay visas, which has contributed to the growth of their tourism sector. Therefore, our government should consider a similar scheme for foreign visitors to Cambodia,” he added.
According to a report by the tourism ministry, Cambodia welcomed over 3.5 million international visitors in the first eight months of 2023. This marked an increase of 250.8 per cent over the same period in 2022 and equalled 80 per cent of pre-pandemic figures. In addition, the number of domestic tourists increased by approximately 12.38 million, reflecting a 62.5 per cent rise.
Under the “Visit Cambodia 2023” campaign, the Kingdom anticipates welcoming approximately five million international arrivals, reflecting a 120 per cent increase, alongside 17 million domestic tourists. Looking ahead, projections suggest international numbers could reach eight million in 2028.
