Kingdom awarded culture, youth travel awards
Kingdom awarded culture, youth travel awards
Cambodia has clinched two accolades at the World Travel Awards 2023, which are anticipated to bolster its allure to international travellers.
The Kingdom secured the titles of “Asia’s Leading Cultural Destination” and “Asia’s Leading Youth Travel Destination” at the September 6 event in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, according to an October 21 statement from the Ministry of Tourism.
Thourn Sinan, president of the Asia-Pacific Tourism Association (PATA) Cambodia Chapter, told The Post on October 22 that securing the awards significantly enhances the nation’s tourism sector, reinforcing its global reputation.
He emphasised the role of ongoing infrastructural developments including roads, ports and the new Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport (SAI) in bolstering tourism appeal. He stressed that collaboration among all stakeholders is essential to position the country as a “top tourist destination”.
”Cambodia must further enhance its appeal by implementing tourism reforms, developing innovative tourism products and expanding its reach by hosting national and international events,” he stated.
He also pointed to the potential of domestic tourism as a means to entice even more international tourists.
Khieu Thy, president of the Angkor Tourist Guide Association, noted that the recognition serves as an important endorsement for the entire tourism industry and resonates with tourists globally.
He opined that while honours are important, first-hand experiences and word-of-mouth promotions from visitors carry more weight. He also noted that visitor numbers to Siem Reap’s ancient temples remain below pre-pandemic levels.
“The international awards Cambodia has garnered are commendable, but our tourism sector must intensify efforts to draw more international tourists,” he said, noting that neighbouring countries are currently attracting higher numbers.
From January to August, the ministry reported 3.5 million foreign visitors, marking a 250.8% rise from the 998,272 in the same period of 2022. These figures are still 19.7% below the record set in 2019, just before the pandemic.
The breakdown of visitors for the period includes 1,186,999 from Thailand, 641,758 from Vietnam, 364,844 from China and 212,984 from Laos, with sizeable numbers also coming from the US, South Korea, Indonesia and France.
