Industry insiders anticipate that the upcoming 8th River Festival in Siem Reap province will draw a significant number of domestic and international travellers, further promoting Cambodia’s tourism potential on the global stage.

Siem Reap, the Kingdom’s main tourist destination, is set to host the celebration themed “River for Peace and Development”, from March 15-17.

Top Sopheak, secretary of state and spokesperson for the Ministry of Tourism, told The Post on March 14 that the government rotates the festival among provinces surrounding the Tonle Sap Lake and those along rivers like the Mekong. 

He said the aim is to foster widespread appreciation for the importance of the lake and rivers and to boost tourism in these regions. 

The spokesman said the festivities also focus on encouraging public participation in preserving the lake and rivers’ diverse resources and environment.

“The [event] is designed to foster a communal understanding of the significance of the lake and rivers, primarily to aid in their preservation and conservation. It’s crucial for the benefit of future generations and encourages community involvement in maintaining environmental sanitation,” he stated.

“This contributes to the development efforts of the government in lakeside and riverside provinces. These elements form part of Cambodia’s Attractive Tourism Products initiative,” he added.

According to Sopheak, the festival has been an annual event since 2015, first launched in Kratie province and followed by Kampong Cham in 2016, Stung Treng in 2017, Kandal in 2018 – all along the Mekong River – Kampong Chhnang in 2019, Battambang in 2020 and Kampong Thom in 2023 – three of the five provinces surrounding the Tonle Sap Lake. 

He noted the events planned for 2021 and 2022 were cancelled due to the Covid-19 crisis.

Anheng Sokpheak, president of the Cambodia Chinese Tour Guide Association (CCTGA), noted that preparations for the event in Siem Reap, which is hosting the event for the first time, are nearly complete as of March 14. 

He believes the celebration offers the province a unique opportunity to showcase its potential to domestic and international visitors.

“For the first time hosting a river festival in Siem Reap, the authorities are demonstrating remarkable commitment. The event is expected to enhance tourism in [the province], especially as the government has declared 2024 as the ‘Visit Siem Reap’ year, and as a period for promoting people-to-people exchanges between Cambodia and China and celebrating Cambodia-India friendship,” he remarked.

Khieu Thy, president of the Khmer Angkor Tourist Guide Association (KATGA), believes that while the gathering will predominantly attract local tourists, it will also help in spreading awareness among international visitors. 

He noted that accommodation bookings are currently modest and numerous hotels and guesthouses in the popular tourist destination are still available for booking.

“I believe the river festival will attract a large local crowd in Siem Reap. But the number of foreign visitors might be limited as it’s not their typical travel season,” he said.

According to the outcomes of an early February meeting between ministry secretary of state So Mara and Siem Reap provincial authorities, this year’s festivities will include various entertainment activities such as art performances, exhibitions, cycling, running, boat races, golf competitions, a large fireworks display and more.

The 8th River Festival is scheduled to commence with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony by Prime Minister Hun Manet on the evening of March 16.