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Cambodia is still working towards its ambitious goal of becoming a tourism hub for China and building on its pre-pandemic reputation as a tourist destination.
Last month, it opened a new Chinese-owned airport It is not far from the ancient Angkor Wat temple complex in Siem Reap, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The move follows the Chinese government’s “China Ready” tourism strategy launched in 2016, which aims to equip tour guides with Chinese language skills, provide Chinese signs and travel documents, and ensure food and facilities cater to Chinese tastes.
But in the post-epidemic era, Chinese tourists have been slow to return, with the number of Chinese tourists so far this year being only one-third of the pre-epidemic level.
Prime Minister Hun Manet Inauguration Speech Angkor International Airport, and said he and Chinese President Xi Jinping declared 2024 the “Year of People-to-People Exchange” at a meeting in Beijing in October.
According to the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism, Cambodia received about 450,000 Chinese tourists in the first 10 months of 2023. The number is expected to reach about 700,000 by the end of the year, thanks to a surge in the cooler months of November and December.
That’s down from the record 2.3 million Chinese tourists in 2019, but a big improvement from the pandemic. In 2022, just 90,000 Chinese tourists visited Cambodia, according to the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism.
Several factors appear to be working against Cambodia’s ability to realize its aspirations.
China’s post-epidemic era The economy remains sluggish.This is prompting people to forgo more expensive international travel, according to FDIntelligence, which found that international travel has declined due to cost, visa backlogs, a lack of international flights and concerns about personal safety.
However, Cambodia, which relies on Chinese tourists, has been encouraged by a slight but noticeable upward trend this year.
Chhay Sivlin, president of the Cambodia Tourism Association, said: “As the new airport is capable of handling larger aircraft, we can increase flights to new destinations. Therefore, we have high expectations for the growth in the number of inbound tourists as well as tourists from all over the world.”
Dik Ki Leng, president of the Cambodia China Tourism Association, said the new airport will enable the Cambodian government to promote flights from various provinces in China.
“I believe the number of Chinese tourists will increase,” he said, adding that their return was important for travel agencies, hotels, restaurants and car and tuk-tuk drivers.
Ti Kilen, also a Chinese tour guide, said he earned about $50 or more a day before the coronavirus pandemic slammed the tourism industry. Now, he often makes no money.
Overall, the outlook for the tourism industry is more positive. Cambodia has received about 4.4 million international tourists so far this year, up from 1.9 million in the same period last year, and is expected to reach 5.4 million by the end of 2023, according to a senior official from the Ministry of Tourism. But that is still down from about 6.6 million in 2019.
Jyoti, president of the Angkor Tour Guides Association, said the nationality of tourists was important to local operators. He said Chinese tourists tended to buy all-inclusive packages that included airfare, accommodation and food, but they also spent generously on souvenirs and other local products.
“The Chinese like to buy a lot of souvenirs. They like to buy things that Cambodians have — like trinkets, palm sugar, cashews, dried fish, smoked fish, Cambodian sausages, soy sauce, chili sauce — and it’s very helpful for our local economy,” he said.
Nikkei Asia reported in September that regional tourism experts told the newspaper that many tourists canceled plans to travel to Southeast Asia after police and other officials warned about the kidnappings.
Afraid of becoming human trafficking It even inspired a Chinese blockbuster called “No More Betting,” in which characters wear T-shirts with Khmer writing and the setting is an unnamed Southeast Asian country where human trafficking gangs are active.
Cambodian government spokesman Pen Bona dismissed the film’s horror elements, noting that movies often depict horrific events in faraway places but do not lead to a sharp drop in tourist numbers. He said Cambodia remains a safe destination and tourists rarely encounter problems.
Chhay Sivlin of the Tourism Association suggested the government should provide more digital outreach to the Chinese people and emphasize the measures it has taken to ensure the safety of all tourists. “We must return to normal life as soon as possible.”
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