The Phnom Penh Post says Cambodia needs to improve its tourism sector services to capture more high-end (high-earner-income) visitors. High-end tourist numbers are currently low, according to the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents (CATA).
There has been a steady growth of Chinese tourist arrivals in Cambodia, but the capacity to attract more international visitors is under-developed.
In 2018, about 160 million Chinese travelled abroad. The Cambodia tourism sector would like to respond to the rapid growth of Chinese and other international tourists. However, CATA says there is a lack of human resources and tour guides with international language skills, such as Chinese, English, French, and German.
Most foreign tourists stay in Cambodia for 4-7 days and spend, on average, $200-$300 per day.
In the first three months of 2019, Cambodia received 1.8 million international tourists, which is up 9.7% compared with the first three months of 2018. Of the 1.8 million tourists, Chinese tourists numbered 680,000, up by 35% compared to the same period last year.
The Cambodian government is planning infrastructure projects to cater for the tourism sector, which includes two additional airports in Phonm Penh and Siem Reap, expansion of the airport in Preah Sihanouk province, expansion of Sihanoukville’s deep-water seaport, a tourism port in Kampot province, an expressway, and provision of e-Visa services.
Meanwhile, Cambodia will organize the 2nd Cambodia Tourism Investment Forum in October 2019.
MARTINA NICOLLSis an international aid and development consultant, and the authorof:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom(2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).
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