PM: Cambodia Has Taken Steps to Reopen Tourism Safely

PM: Cambodia Has Taken Steps to Reopen Tourism Safely

Cambodia will be a safe tourism destination for tourists once it reopens for visitors, due to the government’s efforts in providing vaccinations to almost all of the population, Prime Minister Hun Sen said yesterday.

In a speech to mark the 41st anniversary of the World Tourism Day, held under the theme of “TOURISM FOR INCLUSIVE GROWTH”, Mr Hun Sen said Cambodia will be safe for both domestic tourism movement and foreign tourists once the Kingdom reopens its doors.

He said faced with new variants of Covid-19 which continue to spread globally and uncertainty in the future, the government has set key strategies in timely vaccination drives and continued health measures which are the foundations to reopen economic and social activities step by step in a ‘new normal’.

The government target is to vaccinate at least 91% of the total 16 million population.

Cambodia has vaccinated 82.03% of the population as of Sunday, according to the National Ad-hoc Commission for Covid-19 Vaccination’s report.

“According to the speed of vaccination in Cambodia, we firmly believe that the tourism destinations in Cambodia will be seen as ensuring safety and regain the confidence of tourists both domestic and international,” he said.

“These factors, with ‘new normal’ adoption adhering to health preventive measures against Covid-19 spread, will boost Cambodia to reopen step by step activities of domestic tourism and international tourism, prioritising public health,” Mr Hun Sen said.

The government is set to reopen for vaccinated tourists in the fourth quarter this year.

Mr Hun Sen also encouraged relevant parties, local authorities, the private sector and development partners to boost creating and supplying tourism services to serve tourists.

He also proposed a campaign themed “Cambodia Safe” as one of the strategies to attract domestic and foreign tourists in the stage of reopening and in the future.

Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General, said in a press release in conjunction with World Tourism Day that tourism continues to suffer enormously under the Covid-19 pandemic. This is a major shock for developed economies, but for developing countries, it is an emergency.

“With many millions of livelihoods in jeopardy, it is time to rethink, transform, and safely restart tourism,” Guterres said. “With the right safeguards in place, the tourism sector can provide decent jobs, helping to build resilient, sustainable, gender-equal, inclusive economies, and a society that works for everyone.”

Last year, the number of foreign tourists dropped by 80.2% of the 6.6 million registered in 2019, and at least 110,000 jobs were directly affected.

Khmer Times