Cambodian tourism prepares for Khmer New Year

Local and international visitors are expected for the Khmer New Year festival in Cambodia this week, after two years of pandemic-related travel restrictions.

The country’s Ministry of Tourism has recently released a statement urging all tourism associations to create new travel packages and boost partnerships in order to attract more international tourists with the occasion of the Cambodian new year, as local visits are predicted to reach high levels.

Khieu Thy, president of Khmer Angkor Tour Guide Association, declared for the media:

“The positive effect of tourist growth is due to the fact that Cambodia managed to control the spread of Covid-19 while raising vaccination rates, which is relatively high compared to the world.

“For the upcoming Khmer New Year, all sections are ready with the hope that business activities in the tourism sector will improve after two years of stalemate.”

“For the Khmer New Year, the private sector is ready to receive the growing number of visitors.

“Cambodia’s reopening will help increase trips in the coming New Year, but it will probably not exceed the number seen during Pchum Ben and Water Festival last year due to the current global economic crisis and rising oil prices which could be a barrier to travel”, the chairman of Pacific Asia Travel Association Cambodia, Thourn Sinan, also commented.

Private tourism sector aims to considerably increase offer in order to revitalise the country’s tourism industry. Nevertheless, return of international visitors is expected to be done gradually. However, Siem Reap welcomes as much as 200 international tourists per day, mostly from Thailand and Singapore.

This year, Khmer New Year is celebrated between April 14 and April 16. The Cambodian new year is the biggest event in the country’s festival calendar.

 

Source: phnompenhpost.com