Black & White portrait by subcomandanta via Flickr

I am writing this piece to make a small contribution to the promotion of Cambodia as a tourist destination. Tourism is one of the country’s few foreign exchange earners and so will play a key role in alleviating the country’s economic woes.

The Phnom Penh Post reports that figures for the first half of 2009 show an overall decline in the number of foreign visitors, with South Korea down by as much as one third. Needless to say there have been job losses.

I realise that talk of poverty, prostitution and human trafficking is not what you would normally associate with tourism promotion, but I have always believed in telling it like it is. For the most part, as a tourist, you would not be aware of these problems but crucially, if you were to visit the country, you could be part of the solution, particularly if using companies that follow responsible tourism principles.

Cambodian Government Aims High

Despite the negative indicators, according to the Straits Times, the government is predicting that next year annual arrivals will increase to 3 million: that’s up from 2.15 million in 2008, a projected increase of 39% over 2 years.

This is perhaps an ambitious figure in today’s climate but, if it is a realistic target, I am all for aiming high. I read that, amidst the gloom, arrivals from Vietnam at least increased by 40% in the first half of this year (2009): it’s a start.

Cambodia Angkor Air Launched This Week

Airport sign by aZAMirui via Flickr

The government hopes that the country’s new national airline, Cambodia Angkor Air, launched this week, will add to the momentum. This is a joint venture between Cambodia (51%) and Vietnam Airlines (49%) and the first flights connect Phnom Penh (Cambodia’s capital), Siem Reap (the gateway to Cambodia’s famed Angkor temples) with Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. A service between Siem Reap and the Cambodian beach resort of Sihanoukville will follow. The collaboration operates as a code share, which in practical terms means flight numbers are prefixed by one or both of the airlines’ 2-character designator codes (K6 and VN); and gives the fledgling airline connections to Vietnam Airlines’ international routes.

Cambodia: The Perfect Tourist Package – City, Culture And Beach

Phnom Penh rooftops by Anduze traveller via Flickr

Cambodia, via its two international gateways, Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, is already well served by direct flights from regional hubs like Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore; but these new services by the national carrier both increase air capacity and give the country a degree of autonomy.

Sihanoukville beach

CC photo: John Einar Sandvand, Cambodia Tales

Once the airport at Sihanoukville has officially opened (at the time of writing I do not have a date but I understand it’ll be soon) all of this will combine to give Cambodia the perfect tourist package: city, culture and beach, all accessible by air. The existing accommodation inventory also offers a wide choice of places to stay: from guest houses right the way up, in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh at least, to 5 star luxury.

Cambodia then has the start of a sound tourist infrastructure.

The Two Jewels In Cambodia’s Tourism Crown

Angkor Wat by mtchm via Flickr

Whether or not tourist arrivals hit 3 million next year, by continuing to cater for a wider range of visitors, the industry can attract a higher spend and that is what is needed. For me quality is more important than quantity (but then I’m not running the country!) and I believe it important that all tourist developments should be responsible ones.

The Family at Ta Prohm

Finally I would just briefly mention the two jewels in the country’s tourism crown: 1) The World Heritage site of Angkor and 2) The people.

I will be writing about the temples of Angkor elsewhere but for now let me say that the temple complex, close to Siem Reap, is one of the most awesome sites I have seen in 25 years of travelling in Asia.

Smiling face by mrcharly via Flickr

The people, in my experience, are gentle and charming and for the fortitude shown over decades of war, genocide and instability, they have my respect and admiration. Since 1997 their focus has been firmly on the future and I am sure you, as a visitor, would receive a gracious, warm welcome.

I realise discretionary income is tight at the moment but if you are undecided about where to spend your next vacation let me recommend Cambodia : this pocket-size country has a lot to offer. A word of warning though: after visiting once you will want to go back, and as the country continues to develop there will be plenty to go back for!

If you know Cambodia and would like to give more reasons why someone should consider it for their vacation please comment below.

If you do not know the country and have a question about it, post a comment too: I am sure someone will be able to help

Preah Vihear Temple (From Wikipedia)

The face-off between Thailand and Cambodia over the disputed ‘ownership’ of Preah Vihear continued over the weekend and at least 2 soldiers were reportedly killed.

The Preah Vihear temple is a UNESCO World Heritage site from the Khmer period. Its relative inaccessibility means that at the moment it is not on the main tourist trail as this snippet from Wikipedia explains:

“From Cambodia, the temple can be approached via Tbeng Meanchey in Preah Vihear province or from Siem Reap in Siem Reap province via Anlong Veng. Although the highway is bitumen when it leaves Siem Reap, both roads are (occasionally) graded gravel once they begin to approach the Dangrek escarpment.

From Thailand it can be approached from the Kantharalak district (amphoe) of the Sisaket province. Cambodia allows day-trip access to the temple on a visa-free basis from Thailand. Cambodia imposes an entrance fee of US$5 or 200 baht for foreigners (as of 2006, reduced to 50 baht for nationals of Thailand), plus a fee of 5 baht for processing a copy of the passport. In addition, Thailand imposes an access fee of 400 baht for entering the National Park.”

Naturally no one is going to visit the temple as this dispute continues but no doubt each side see it as a ‘cash cow’ for the future.

Phimai Temple (From Wikipedia)

In the meantime visitors to Cambodia can of course visit the heart of the Khmer Empire at the Angkor Archaeological Park. Visitors to Thailand interested in seeing Khmer architecture can visit Phimai Historical Park in Thailand’s north-east.

I see from the report in the Straits Times that representatives from the governments of Thailand and Cambodia will be meeting in Phnom Penh on Monday and Tuesday which will hopefully put an end to this loss of life which, to me, makes no sense.