SIHANOUKVILLE, 3 July 2019: More than 90% of Sihanoukville’s tourism-related enterprises are owned by Chinese investors a report in the Phnom Penh Post claims.
The daily newspaper said the properties range from high-rise hotels, casinos to restaurants and other entertainment outlets such as massage parlours,
The newspaper quoted the Preah Sihanouk provincial authorities as its source saying officials confirmed the province now relies almost entirely on Chinese investors to drive tourism developments.
Records show there are 156 hotels and guesthouses in Preah Sihanouk province, of which 150 are Chinese-owned. The list of casinos has risen to 62 of which 48 are owned by Chinese. Five years earlier the official casino count hovered around 20.
Phnom Penh posted added that 41 karaoke clubs and 46 massage parlours were also by Chinese as well. Of the total 436 restaurants in the province, 95 per cent were either owned or managed by Chinese nationals.
In line with the investment, most tourists visiting the coastal province are also from China.
Pacific Asia Travel Association’s Cambodia chapter president, Thourn Sinan, told The Post that no market should rely so heavily on investors from a single country.
But not everyone was critical of the Chinese investment invasion. Some locals said it had caused land prices to increase and they favoured that as well as the additional opportunities to invest and grow their businesses.
