PHNOM PENH, 12 April 2023: Ahead of the Mekong Tourism Forum in Preah Sihanoukville on 26 April, Cambodia’s Minister of Tourism, Thong Khon, outlines his country’s targets for tourism, aviation and dispersing a new generation of visitors beyond Angkor Wat and Phnom Penh.
Q: What are your targets for Cambodian tourism in 2023?
A: The target for Cambodia’s tourism in 2023 is to increase the number of international tourist arrivals from 4 to 4.5 million. Cambodia hosts the Southeast Asian Games 2023 in May, a major tourist event.
Q: Is there a new emphasis or focus on Cambodia’s 2023 tourism promotion campaigns?
A: Our focus is “Visit Cambodia Year 2023”. It has the theme “MICE and Sports” and the slogan “Every Day is A Wonder”. Apart from the SEA Games, we also have the 12th ASEAN Para Games from 3 to 9 June in Phnom Penh, with the theme, “Sports Live In Peace”. There’s also the Mekong Tourism Forum 2023 in Sihanoukville from 25 to 27 April on “Rethinking for Resilience and Digitalization”.
Q: How has tourism in Cambodia changed since the pandemic?
A: Like many other countries, Cambodia faced a big challenge from the global Covid-19 pandemic. The number of international arrivals dropped from 6.6 million in 2019 to 1.3 million in 2020 and to only 200,000 in 2021. With tourism coming back, there have been some positives.
Cambodia became the first country in ASEAN to fully re-open for international travellers in October 2022. That helped increase international arrivals to 2.23 million by the end of 2022. Cambodia expects to receive around 4 million international visitors by the end of 2023, 5 million in 2024 and 7 million in 2025.
We developed new tourism infrastructure during the pandemic, such as 38 new roads in Siem Reap, the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville expressway, and the new Siem Reap International Airport, due for completion in Q3 this year. The new Techo Takhmao International Airport south of Phnom Penh will complete its first phase in mid-2024.
Q: What changes to the aviation sector are you encouraging to boost Cambodia’s tourism?
A: By March 2028, we plan to have 33 airlines connecting to Cambodia through three international airports with an average of 494 flights per week or 988 movements. The government aims to boost the influx of international tourists and new airlines by applying tax incentives and reducing or waiving landing fees. We are investing a lot in two new airports: Kandal province, just south of Phnom Penh, and Siem Reap.
Q: What policies do you have to disperse tourism from Angkor Wat to other parts of Cambodia?
A: Initially, foreign tourists visiting Cambodia wished to see only Angkor Wat temple. Through the preparation of new tour packages, tourists are now starting to enjoy more nature tourism, adventure activities, community-based tourism, ecotourism and learning about the lives of people and local food. We want to attract tourists away from Angkor Wat to help poorer areas develop.
Q: What role does the upcoming Mekong Tourism Forum in Preah Sihanouk play in Cambodia’s tourism future?
A: The Mekong Tourism Forum is vital in discussing critical issues and emerging trends among regional tourism stakeholders. With the theme Rethinking for Resilience and Digitalisation, forum attendees will discuss sustainable food systems, fostering women’s empowerment, accelerating digitalisation, and upskilling the tourism workforce.
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Or visit: https://mekongtourism.org/mekong-tourism-forum-2023/
