Siem Reap’s hotel sector still crippled with around 80 percent hotels and guesthouses yet to open

Siem Reap’s hotel sector still crippled with around 80 percent hotels and guesthouses yet to open

As the province prepares to reopen as the newest destination for vaccination tourism, a large percentage of its hospitality businesses still have their doors closed, with a small number closed permanently.

Despite major infrastructure development and improvement projects taking place in the province, the hospitality sector, hotels and guesthouses, still face an uphill battle in reopening their doors. According to the Director of the Siem Reap Provincial Department of Tourism, Ngov Sengkak, a majority of the hotels and guesthouses still remains shut down.

The province has 228 hotels and guesthouses, of which 185 have not yet resumed operations, equivalent to approximately 81 percent. While a large number of establishments escaped the total ceasing of operations due to the pandemic, 18 have completely closed down. The province is slowly reopening hotels as tourism is expected to recover.

The Director continued that on weekends or national, there are about 6,000 tourists visiting the province weekly. The number is expected to grow once the province reopens for vaccination tourism in January 2022.

Currently, all sectors including restaurants, hotels, and guesthouses have begun to reopen, which will help boost the economy. Air travel agencies have also announced the resuming of flights to the province, such as Singapore and Cambodian Airlines.