The temple of Angkor Wat is Cambodia's iconic tourist attraction.by Gemma Greenwood
Jun 8, 2009
The Cambodia Ministry of Tourism is hoping to forge close ties with the GCC travel trade in order to boost the number of visitors to a country considered one of Asia’s best-kept secrets.
In a bid to meet with key travel agents and tour operators from the region, the ministry exhibited at May’s Arabian Travel Market (ATM) for the first time and plans to run a GCC trade roadshow promoting Cambodia later in the year.
“Right now is a very good time to promote Cambodia to the Arab market because Cambodia is more than ready to accommodate Arab tourists,” said deputy director general of tourism Plong Thoeun speaking to Arabian Travel News at ATM.
“There are plenty of places to visit — Siem Reap, Angkor Wat and beaches in the south with their fresh seafood (resorts such as Preah Sihanouh Ville) plus we can offer halal food.”
He added that hotel wise, there were 149 in Phnom Penh (Cambodia’s capital and largest city) equating to 7000 rooms, including five-star properties from brands such as IHG and Raffles and 105 with 8000 rooms in Siem Reap, including well-known brands such as Le Meridien and Sofitel.
Thoeun said the Ministry attended ATM to “meet tour operators that are interested in sending tourists to Cambodia”.
“We want to put together packages and we hope that after this event we will see an increase in interest from this region.”
He conceded that at present “not many people” visited Cambodia from the Middle East, “but we have had good increases in the number of visitors from Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE since last year”, he added.
“In the future we hope there will be direct flights to Cambodia from the Middle East. Both Qatar Airways and Kuwait Airways are considering direct flights and we are also negotiating with Emirates.”
At present, guests from the Middle East must fly to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore or Vietnam to catch a connecting flight to Phnom Penh or Siem Reap.
“It is also very easy to travel across the border from Vietnam to Cambodia,” said Theoun. “By road, from Ho Chi Minh to the border is two hours and then from the border to the Mekong is one hour. ”
Visitors to Cambodia can obtain a visa for US $20. The colder season is November to February when temperatures average 18ºC to 30ºC. “The rainy season is from the end of May to October, but it only rains for about 30 minutes and then stops,” said Theoun.
Jun 8, 2009
The Cambodia Ministry of Tourism is hoping to forge close ties with the GCC travel trade in order to boost the number of visitors to a country considered one of Asia’s best-kept secrets.
In a bid to meet with key travel agents and tour operators from the region, the ministry exhibited at May’s Arabian Travel Market (ATM) for the first time and plans to run a GCC trade roadshow promoting Cambodia later in the year.
“Right now is a very good time to promote Cambodia to the Arab market because Cambodia is more than ready to accommodate Arab tourists,” said deputy director general of tourism Plong Thoeun speaking to Arabian Travel News at ATM.
“There are plenty of places to visit — Siem Reap, Angkor Wat and beaches in the south with their fresh seafood (resorts such as Preah Sihanouh Ville) plus we can offer halal food.”
He added that hotel wise, there were 149 in Phnom Penh (Cambodia’s capital and largest city) equating to 7000 rooms, including five-star properties from brands such as IHG and Raffles and 105 with 8000 rooms in Siem Reap, including well-known brands such as Le Meridien and Sofitel.
Thoeun said the Ministry attended ATM to “meet tour operators that are interested in sending tourists to Cambodia”.
“We want to put together packages and we hope that after this event we will see an increase in interest from this region.”
He conceded that at present “not many people” visited Cambodia from the Middle East, “but we have had good increases in the number of visitors from Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE since last year”, he added.
“In the future we hope there will be direct flights to Cambodia from the Middle East. Both Qatar Airways and Kuwait Airways are considering direct flights and we are also negotiating with Emirates.”
At present, guests from the Middle East must fly to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore or Vietnam to catch a connecting flight to Phnom Penh or Siem Reap.
“It is also very easy to travel across the border from Vietnam to Cambodia,” said Theoun. “By road, from Ho Chi Minh to the border is two hours and then from the border to the Mekong is one hour. ”
Visitors to Cambodia can obtain a visa for US $20. The colder season is November to February when temperatures average 18ºC to 30ºC. “The rainy season is from the end of May to October, but it only rains for about 30 minutes and then stops,” said Theoun.
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