Illustrative image (Source: khmertimeskh.com) Hanoi (VNA) – The Cambodian Ministry of Tourism is working to transform its southern province of Kep into a tourism hub that meets regional and international standards.
Ny Phally, the ministry’s undersecretary of state, said a masterplan on the transformation is progressing and the ministry is confident that it will turn the province into a high-end eco-tourism and relaxation place in the region and the world, the Khmer Times reported.
The Cambodian Government has established an inter-ministry committee to study the development scheme since the start of 2020.
The draft plan is set to be finalised at the end of July and adopted in August so that it will be materialised from 2021 to 2035, Phally said.
Ken Satha, Governor of Kep province, said during a press conference on May 5 that the locality has 13 islands which have yet to be fully tapped.
“Most of the islands in Kep are still only developed by local communities and not by investors because the government does not allow any manufacturing investment in the province yet, so we have much more potential and room to grow in the tourism sector,” Satha was quoted by the newspaper as saying.
According to the Ministry of Tourism, foreign arrivals to Cambodia hit 1.15 million in the first quarter of this year, down 38 percent year-on-year due to the impacts of COVID-19.
In particular, those from China were down 62 percent, the US 33 percent and the Republic of Korea 36 percent.
The ministry also reported that domestic holidaymakers dropped by 34 percent during the period.
Cambodia will prioritise domestic tourism now as the government has lifted a travel ban between provinces, said Tourism Minister Thong Khon./.
VNA
