Cambodia may soon join the ranks of Phuket, Koh Samui and Bali with plans to transform the picture perfect island of Koh Rong into the "next Asian Riviera".Architects and environmental consultants have worked to create "Asia's first environmentally planned resort destination" in a study which outlined a 25 year transformation of the island, according to Property Report.
The study to renovate Koh Rong is currently being distributed to international investors, many "already eyeing early progress with keen interest", despite the projected quarter century completion, CB Richard Ellis Thailand Chairman David Simister said.
"We are targeting forward looking investors within the region and globally who share a mutual vision on ecological development and who want to be part of creating South East Asia's new resort destination." While the study details plans for an international airport as well as possible sites for hotels, resorts, golf courses and shopping there is a highlighted emphasis on guidelines for sustainable development."Key to the eco strategy is that all development partners conform to recycling and low energy use, with minimal use of high energy consuming materials," study participant MAP Architects Director David Clarke said.
Various projects will be restricted to "an eco-green theme with earth tones", organic farming will be implemented, fresh water will be collected from small reservoirs and dams beneath the island, and there will possibly be educational lessons dedicated to environmental sustainability.
"The master plan for Koh Rong presents perhaps a unique opportunity to create virtually from the beginning a truly ecologically sustainable large scale resort community," Scott Wilson General Manager Lauri Van Run said. According to Mr Clarke, all that remains is bringing the dream to life, "we need to sell this island to the world".
The island located 44 kilometers from the Sihanoukville coast of Cambodia was recognised earlier in the year by international business magazine Forbes which listed Koh Rong in the top 22 of "Asia's Best Beaches".
Showing posts with label Cambodia News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cambodia News. Show all posts
Friday, September 3, 2010
Tomb Raider temple trees are here to stay
ONGOING rumours that the famous trees at the equally famous Ta Prohm temple will be lopped are unfounded.
The trees, which had a supporting role in the Angelina Jolie movie Tomb Raider, will remain a permanent fixture, according to Cambodian archaeologist Sim Than, because the trees too can be considered cultural.
“Culture is not just the temple, but also the trees because they are more than 100 years old,” he said. “They will remain even though they have taken root within the temple itself.”
Sim Than works with the Archaeological Survey of India on restoration work at Ta Prohm temple, part of a US$5 million, 10-year project officially dubbed the India-Cambodia Cooperation on Conservation and Restoration of Ta Prohm Temple.
This project was set up in November of 2002 when the Cambodian government signed a memorandum of understating with the Indian government.
One of the main tasks of the project, the restoration of the 40-metre long, six-metre high southeastern gallery of Ta Prohm temple, will be completed this year.
The gallery restoration began in 2004 and, wonder of wonders for Cambodia, the restoration is on schedule, having moved quickly compared to other restoration sites in the Angkor complex.
Sim Tham said the speed of the work has been helped along by three factors: It is easy to bring construction tools onto the site; collapsed stones weren’t lost or pilfered; and more workers were employed than on other sites.
Sim Tham said the speed of the work has been helped along by three factors: It is easy to bring construction tools onto the site; collapsed stones weren’t lost or pilfered; and more workers were employed than on other sites.
He added that only the southeastern gallery was earmarked for restoration, not other parts.
This work is part of an innovative UNESCO idea, to allow people to make comparisons between the restored and the unrestored areas of the Angkor complex.
This work is part of an innovative UNESCO idea, to allow people to make comparisons between the restored and the unrestored areas of the Angkor complex.
Kingdom's tourism up as neighbours languish
CAMBODIA has seen over 13 percent more tourists during the first seven months of this year, becoming one of five ASEAN countries to see an increase in 2010, according to a Ministry of Tourism report.
Some 1,423,505 tourists entered the Kingdom this year to the end of July, up an annualised 13.85 percent. It joins Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Laos as the only ASEAN countries with tourism figures on the rise, according to Ministry statistics.
Tourism Minister Thong Khon said the Kingdom had the potential to become an even larger draw for regional visitors.“We have the potential of a huge and great culture which can be used to attract an increasing number of tourists in the future,” he said, and announced the 2011 ASEAN Tourism Forum would be held in Phnom Penh in January.
ASEAN was an important destination for foreign tourists, and Cambodia was becoming increasingly attractive for international tourists, he said.“We will win the competition, and we need to develop the sector as much as we can,” he said.
Minister of the Council of Ministers Sok An said the government places exceptional emphasis on promoting and developing tourism.
Some 1,423,505 tourists entered the Kingdom this year to the end of July, up an annualised 13.85 percent. It joins Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Laos as the only ASEAN countries with tourism figures on the rise, according to Ministry statistics.
Tourism Minister Thong Khon said the Kingdom had the potential to become an even larger draw for regional visitors.“We have the potential of a huge and great culture which can be used to attract an increasing number of tourists in the future,” he said, and announced the 2011 ASEAN Tourism Forum would be held in Phnom Penh in January.
ASEAN was an important destination for foreign tourists, and Cambodia was becoming increasingly attractive for international tourists, he said.“We will win the competition, and we need to develop the sector as much as we can,” he said.
Minister of the Council of Ministers Sok An said the government places exceptional emphasis on promoting and developing tourism.
Cambodia tourism records swift recovery
TOURIST arrivals in Cambodia increased by about 12 per cent in the first six months of this year, according to recently released Ministry of Tourism statistics.
In the first half of 2010, Cambodia received a total of 1,221,156 foreign visitors, up from 1,086,518 in the same period last year.
Tourists from Asia accounted for a large number of the visitors, with arrivals from neighbouring Vietnam taking the top spot at 208,667, up 46 per cent on 2009. South Korea stood at number two, with 136,498, up around 35 per cent annually. Japan was third with 71,107 tourists, a modest rise of about seven per cent.
Tourism Minister Thong Khon said the growth in tourism was due in part to a gradual recovery of the global economy and an easing of vehicle restrictions at Cambodia’s border frontiers – which has led traffic at some checkpoints to soar by up to two-thirds.“We hope the number will continue to grow in the second half of this year,” he said.
Ang Kim Eang, president of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents, said visa-exception agreements and an increase in flights would be an important factor in attracting more tourists to the kingdom in coming months. He said that airlines such as Bangkok Airways and Air Asia would increase their flights from October to December, the high tourist season.The statistics showed that in the first six months, tourist arrivals by air rose an estimated 14 per cent to 632,373, while arrivals by road and water rose around 13 per cent to 522,634.
In the first half of 2010, Cambodia received a total of 1,221,156 foreign visitors, up from 1,086,518 in the same period last year.
Tourists from Asia accounted for a large number of the visitors, with arrivals from neighbouring Vietnam taking the top spot at 208,667, up 46 per cent on 2009. South Korea stood at number two, with 136,498, up around 35 per cent annually. Japan was third with 71,107 tourists, a modest rise of about seven per cent.
Tourism Minister Thong Khon said the growth in tourism was due in part to a gradual recovery of the global economy and an easing of vehicle restrictions at Cambodia’s border frontiers – which has led traffic at some checkpoints to soar by up to two-thirds.“We hope the number will continue to grow in the second half of this year,” he said.
Ang Kim Eang, president of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents, said visa-exception agreements and an increase in flights would be an important factor in attracting more tourists to the kingdom in coming months. He said that airlines such as Bangkok Airways and Air Asia would increase their flights from October to December, the high tourist season.The statistics showed that in the first six months, tourist arrivals by air rose an estimated 14 per cent to 632,373, while arrivals by road and water rose around 13 per cent to 522,634.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Hotel gives back through bicycles
Bike Aid has come to Siem Reap, and almost 400 young locals will soon be pedalling their way to a better education thanks to a scheme devised by Hotel de la Paix and Mastercard.
The credit card company donated a bicycle for every room paid for by Mastercard at the hotel between September 1 and December 31 last year.
General Manager Nick Downing said the project was to give children greater freedom to get around town and cycle to school. On behalf of their guests, the hotel donated 397 bicycles, he said.
The 12 organisations receiving the bicycles, mainly orphanages and schools, were chosen based on the benefit the bicycles would have on the work they did with children or teenagers.
Many of the schools were in rural areas where children had to walk for up to an hour simply to get to school for their lessons.
Downing said the response had been rewarding, with the children testing out the bicycles as soon as they received them.
The idea was originally conceived when an employee of MasterCard Singapore stayed at the hotel and saw how it allowed guests to make donations towards community projects, such as buying rice for orphanages or assisting in their Sewing Training Centre Programme, which gives women the skills to set up their own business.
Downing said Mastercard perceived a synergy between the hotel's community work and its international social responsibility programme, Purchase with a Purpose.
"Mastercard asked, how can they make an impact?" he said. "It was not about driving business but about the Purchase with a Purpose programme. This was a very easy way for guests to participate in the community."
Guest Relationship Manager Andrea Everhardt said guests responded positively, often opting to use their Mastercard after reading about the project in the welcome brochure.
Negotiations were under way with MasterCard to revisit the project this year, and it has agreed to sponsor 10 of the 20 students on the hotel's 10-month sewing programme.
The hotel's philanthropic pursuits also helped earn it a glowing two-page review in the July issue of American Express's Travel + Leisure magazine.
The credit card company donated a bicycle for every room paid for by Mastercard at the hotel between September 1 and December 31 last year.
General Manager Nick Downing said the project was to give children greater freedom to get around town and cycle to school. On behalf of their guests, the hotel donated 397 bicycles, he said.
The 12 organisations receiving the bicycles, mainly orphanages and schools, were chosen based on the benefit the bicycles would have on the work they did with children or teenagers.
Many of the schools were in rural areas where children had to walk for up to an hour simply to get to school for their lessons.
Downing said the response had been rewarding, with the children testing out the bicycles as soon as they received them.
The idea was originally conceived when an employee of MasterCard Singapore stayed at the hotel and saw how it allowed guests to make donations towards community projects, such as buying rice for orphanages or assisting in their Sewing Training Centre Programme, which gives women the skills to set up their own business.
Downing said Mastercard perceived a synergy between the hotel's community work and its international social responsibility programme, Purchase with a Purpose.
"Mastercard asked, how can they make an impact?" he said. "It was not about driving business but about the Purchase with a Purpose programme. This was a very easy way for guests to participate in the community."
Guest Relationship Manager Andrea Everhardt said guests responded positively, often opting to use their Mastercard after reading about the project in the welcome brochure.
Negotiations were under way with MasterCard to revisit the project this year, and it has agreed to sponsor 10 of the 20 students on the hotel's 10-month sewing programme.
The hotel's philanthropic pursuits also helped earn it a glowing two-page review in the July issue of American Express's Travel + Leisure magazine.
Troops exit Preah Vihear temple complex
Cambodia's Defence Ministry says government has halved deployed troops at Preah Vihear but warns that forces remain prepared for any future hostilities.
Troops stationed at the Preah Vihear temple complex near the Thai border completed their redeployment over the weekend, a Royal Cambodian Armed Forces commander told the Post on Sunday.
Srey Doek, commander of RCAF Division 3, said Prime Minister Hun Sen on Saturday met soldiers from Brigade 11 during their redeployment to their base in Kampot province.
"[Hun Sen] welcomed them as they travelled near Siem Reap and offered them each 50,000 riels [US$12], and the prime minister's wife offered them gifts of fruit," Srey Doek said.
Srey Doek said the money and fruit were given to nearly 1,000 RCAF soldiers as expressions of gratitude for their service at the front line, adding that troops from other brigades from Siem Reap as well as members of Hun Sen's personal bodyguard who were also redeployed over the weekend did not meet the prime minister.
Meanwhile, an official at the Defence Ministry said Sunday that forces at the border have now been halved.
"We have pulled out 50 percent of the troops from Preah Vihear temple," said ministry spokesman Chhum Socheat.
"This shows that the situation at the border is really getting better, and that both countries have a mutual understanding of peace," he added.
Hun Sen declared last week that the 13-month standoff with Thailand over the disputed Preah Vihear temple complex, which claimed more than seven lives and left hundreds homeless, had effectively ended following a bilateral withdrawal of troops announced during a meeting on August 24 between the head of RCAF, General Pol Saroeun, and his Thai counterpart, General Songkitti Jaggabatra of the Royal Thai Armed Forces.
Troops still on guard
Despite a thaw in relations, Cambodian military officials last week were quick to point out that troops would still be necessary to guard the integrity of the border and the sovereignty of the nation.
Defence Minister Tea Banh said some troops would remain at the border.
"We do not need too many soldiers there now. We are currently adjusting the numbers to achieve the right balance for the situation," Tea Banh said last week.
Chea Dara, RCAF deputy commander in chief, echoed this sentiment Sunday, saying the border's security remained a vital concern and downplaying the impact of the withdrawal on Cambodia's ability to secure its border with Thailand.
"It is not a problem for our soldiers to defend the nation, even as their numbers have been reduced by the withdrawal," he said Sunday. "We have kept enough of our troops in place."
He said if Thailand "shows a softer manner" Cambodia could cut troop numbers further. "However, if anything happened, our troop mobility would be very swift."
Thailand in June reignited the row over the temple when it asked World Heritage body UNESCO to reconsider its decision to formally list the temple in Cambodia.
Cambodia and Thailand have been at loggerheads over the land around Preah Vihear temple for decades
Troops stationed at the Preah Vihear temple complex near the Thai border completed their redeployment over the weekend, a Royal Cambodian Armed Forces commander told the Post on Sunday.
Srey Doek, commander of RCAF Division 3, said Prime Minister Hun Sen on Saturday met soldiers from Brigade 11 during their redeployment to their base in Kampot province.
"[Hun Sen] welcomed them as they travelled near Siem Reap and offered them each 50,000 riels [US$12], and the prime minister's wife offered them gifts of fruit," Srey Doek said.
Srey Doek said the money and fruit were given to nearly 1,000 RCAF soldiers as expressions of gratitude for their service at the front line, adding that troops from other brigades from Siem Reap as well as members of Hun Sen's personal bodyguard who were also redeployed over the weekend did not meet the prime minister.
Meanwhile, an official at the Defence Ministry said Sunday that forces at the border have now been halved.
"We have pulled out 50 percent of the troops from Preah Vihear temple," said ministry spokesman Chhum Socheat.
"This shows that the situation at the border is really getting better, and that both countries have a mutual understanding of peace," he added.
Hun Sen declared last week that the 13-month standoff with Thailand over the disputed Preah Vihear temple complex, which claimed more than seven lives and left hundreds homeless, had effectively ended following a bilateral withdrawal of troops announced during a meeting on August 24 between the head of RCAF, General Pol Saroeun, and his Thai counterpart, General Songkitti Jaggabatra of the Royal Thai Armed Forces.
Troops still on guard
Despite a thaw in relations, Cambodian military officials last week were quick to point out that troops would still be necessary to guard the integrity of the border and the sovereignty of the nation.
Defence Minister Tea Banh said some troops would remain at the border.
"We do not need too many soldiers there now. We are currently adjusting the numbers to achieve the right balance for the situation," Tea Banh said last week.
Chea Dara, RCAF deputy commander in chief, echoed this sentiment Sunday, saying the border's security remained a vital concern and downplaying the impact of the withdrawal on Cambodia's ability to secure its border with Thailand.
"It is not a problem for our soldiers to defend the nation, even as their numbers have been reduced by the withdrawal," he said Sunday. "We have kept enough of our troops in place."
He said if Thailand "shows a softer manner" Cambodia could cut troop numbers further. "However, if anything happened, our troop mobility would be very swift."
Thailand in June reignited the row over the temple when it asked World Heritage body UNESCO to reconsider its decision to formally list the temple in Cambodia.
Cambodia and Thailand have been at loggerheads over the land around Preah Vihear temple for decades
Tourism arrivals rebounded in July, says govt
A 10 percent jump in tourism arrivals in July eroded losses over the first six months of the year, according to unofficial numbers released by Tourism Minister Thong Khon.
More than 163,000 people visited the country last month, he said, bringing arrivals for the first seven months of the year to 1,284,085, a 0.3 percent rise on the 1,246,685 million visitors through to the end of July 2008.
Figures for the first six months of the year show a 1.1 percent fall in visitor arrivals, compared with a year earlier, to 1,086,518. The figures include tourists and business travellers.
An increase in visitors from neighbouring Laos and Vietnam offset a huge fall in arrivals from South Korea, which was the single largest source country for foreign visitors in the early part of 2008 until the bottom fell out of the country's economy.
"The opening of tourism hubs, such as new border crossings and the new national air carrier, a lowering on tourism service prices and efforts to facilitate transport routes into Cambodia were key ways to draw tourists from the region, as well as those from European, during the [financial] crisis," Thong Khon said.
However, he warned that the majority of Vietnamese tended to visit Phnom Penh rather than Siem Reap, meaning the downturn in visitors from South Korea was still felt strongly in Cambodia's main tourism hub.
Accurate numbers were unavailable for July, but visitors from South Korea fell 33 percent year-on-year over the first half from 160,446 to 106,345. Arrivals from Vietnam were up 40 percent over the same period from 105,275 to 147,721, while Laotian visitors increased 141 percent to 52,708. Thong Khon said arrivals from Vietnam were up 46 percent year-on-year in July.
"Vietnamese tourists still lead tourists from all other countries, followed by those from South Korea and America," he said.
Tourism figures show 79,657 Americans visited during the first six months of the year, marginally up on a year earlier, 70,183 Japanese, down 13.5 percent, and 234,439 Europeans, marginally down on the first six months of 2008.
Ho Vandy, co-chairman of the Government-Private Sector Forum's Tourism Working Group, said the slight recovery in July had been noticed. "[It's] a good sign for all of us who earn a living in the tourism sector, and we are not so concerned now about the slow months earlier this year," he said.Ho Vandy is also the owner of World Express Tours & Travel.
Cambodia's Hotel Association (CHA) President Luu Meng said the number of bookings in hotels was increasing, indicating the recovery was the start of better times ahead. "We have received more reservations and bookings from people coming to stay and visit our country, mostly from Japan, Europe and America," he said.
Thong Khon said he was optimistic arrivals would expand between 2 percent and 3 percent from 2008, when 2.12 million people visited Cambodia.
More than 163,000 people visited the country last month, he said, bringing arrivals for the first seven months of the year to 1,284,085, a 0.3 percent rise on the 1,246,685 million visitors through to the end of July 2008.
Figures for the first six months of the year show a 1.1 percent fall in visitor arrivals, compared with a year earlier, to 1,086,518. The figures include tourists and business travellers.
An increase in visitors from neighbouring Laos and Vietnam offset a huge fall in arrivals from South Korea, which was the single largest source country for foreign visitors in the early part of 2008 until the bottom fell out of the country's economy.
"The opening of tourism hubs, such as new border crossings and the new national air carrier, a lowering on tourism service prices and efforts to facilitate transport routes into Cambodia were key ways to draw tourists from the region, as well as those from European, during the [financial] crisis," Thong Khon said.
However, he warned that the majority of Vietnamese tended to visit Phnom Penh rather than Siem Reap, meaning the downturn in visitors from South Korea was still felt strongly in Cambodia's main tourism hub.
Accurate numbers were unavailable for July, but visitors from South Korea fell 33 percent year-on-year over the first half from 160,446 to 106,345. Arrivals from Vietnam were up 40 percent over the same period from 105,275 to 147,721, while Laotian visitors increased 141 percent to 52,708. Thong Khon said arrivals from Vietnam were up 46 percent year-on-year in July.
"Vietnamese tourists still lead tourists from all other countries, followed by those from South Korea and America," he said.
Tourism figures show 79,657 Americans visited during the first six months of the year, marginally up on a year earlier, 70,183 Japanese, down 13.5 percent, and 234,439 Europeans, marginally down on the first six months of 2008.
Ho Vandy, co-chairman of the Government-Private Sector Forum's Tourism Working Group, said the slight recovery in July had been noticed. "[It's] a good sign for all of us who earn a living in the tourism sector, and we are not so concerned now about the slow months earlier this year," he said.Ho Vandy is also the owner of World Express Tours & Travel.
Cambodia's Hotel Association (CHA) President Luu Meng said the number of bookings in hotels was increasing, indicating the recovery was the start of better times ahead. "We have received more reservations and bookings from people coming to stay and visit our country, mostly from Japan, Europe and America," he said.
Thong Khon said he was optimistic arrivals would expand between 2 percent and 3 percent from 2008, when 2.12 million people visited Cambodia.
Experts say World Heritage listing for Banteay Chmar will take years
But officials remain hopeful of winning the coveted designation from UNESCO The listing of Banteay Chmar temple as a UN World Heritage Site will take at least two to three years, say government officials and scholars who met at a conference on the issue in Sisophon over the weekend.
Banteay Chmar is one of Cambodia's most neglected but most spectacular temple sites. There is a concerted effort to help the site win a coveted World Heritage listing, but the process will not be easy, and there are many hurdles to overcome, officials said. Currently, not even the preliminary submission of an application for a listing to the National Commission for UNESCO in Phnom Penh has been completed.
"We are not ready to submit the application yet," said Chuch Phoeurn, secretary of state at the Ministry of Culture, who visited Banteay Chmar on Saturday with provincial governor Oung Oeun and other dignitaries and international experts.More data still needs to be collected to establish that Banteay Chmar possesses "outstanding universal values" that make it a site of great historical and architectural distinction.
Chuch Phoeurn said Banteay Chmar will be able to meet the requirements because it is unique and its architecture differs from the famous Bayon temple in the Angkor complex.
Banteay Chmar is well known for its intricate carvings and long walls of bas-relief. Vast and ruinous, it is one of the few temples to feature the enigmatic Bayon-style giant faces with their mysterious smiles.
It was built by King Jayavarman II on the site of an old Hindu temple in the late 12th or early 13th century. In its original state, a 9-kilometre-long wall enclosed the temple, which was one of the largest Buddhist monasteries of the Angkor era.
Most of the more than 100 scholars attending the three-day Sisophon conference agreed that Banteay Chmar has the credentials to be listed, but they concurred that it is likely to be a long, slow process.
Governor Oung Oeun said: "I will be very happy if this temple can be listed as a World Heritage Site, but before we can achieve that goal a lot of work needs to be done."
Once the initial submission is made and approved, it must then go to the president of UNESCO to confirm, and then it must receive the nod from Prime Minister Hun Sen. Only then will it be submitted to UNESCO in Paris.
If Paris judges it to be a worthwhile bid, a team will be sent to Banteay Chmar to verify the submission - and if they tick it off and UNESCO approves, it will be listed. "It is a long two- to three-year process," said Chuch Phoeurn.
As well as these bureaucratic and cultural hurdles, there are major infrastructure and access problems to sort out, officials warned. The road leading to the site is in poor condition and is often washed out in the rainy season.
John Sandey, Asia Pacific field director of the Global Heritage Fund, which is helping Cambodia restore the temple, said at the conference:
"There are major deficiencies like a lack of water and electricity at the site that must receive attention. No water, no tourists." And no World Heritage listing - for the moment.
Banteay Chmar is one of Cambodia's most neglected but most spectacular temple sites. There is a concerted effort to help the site win a coveted World Heritage listing, but the process will not be easy, and there are many hurdles to overcome, officials said. Currently, not even the preliminary submission of an application for a listing to the National Commission for UNESCO in Phnom Penh has been completed.
"We are not ready to submit the application yet," said Chuch Phoeurn, secretary of state at the Ministry of Culture, who visited Banteay Chmar on Saturday with provincial governor Oung Oeun and other dignitaries and international experts.More data still needs to be collected to establish that Banteay Chmar possesses "outstanding universal values" that make it a site of great historical and architectural distinction.
Chuch Phoeurn said Banteay Chmar will be able to meet the requirements because it is unique and its architecture differs from the famous Bayon temple in the Angkor complex.
Banteay Chmar is well known for its intricate carvings and long walls of bas-relief. Vast and ruinous, it is one of the few temples to feature the enigmatic Bayon-style giant faces with their mysterious smiles.
It was built by King Jayavarman II on the site of an old Hindu temple in the late 12th or early 13th century. In its original state, a 9-kilometre-long wall enclosed the temple, which was one of the largest Buddhist monasteries of the Angkor era.
Most of the more than 100 scholars attending the three-day Sisophon conference agreed that Banteay Chmar has the credentials to be listed, but they concurred that it is likely to be a long, slow process.
Governor Oung Oeun said: "I will be very happy if this temple can be listed as a World Heritage Site, but before we can achieve that goal a lot of work needs to be done."
Once the initial submission is made and approved, it must then go to the president of UNESCO to confirm, and then it must receive the nod from Prime Minister Hun Sen. Only then will it be submitted to UNESCO in Paris.
If Paris judges it to be a worthwhile bid, a team will be sent to Banteay Chmar to verify the submission - and if they tick it off and UNESCO approves, it will be listed. "It is a long two- to three-year process," said Chuch Phoeurn.
As well as these bureaucratic and cultural hurdles, there are major infrastructure and access problems to sort out, officials warned. The road leading to the site is in poor condition and is often washed out in the rainy season.
John Sandey, Asia Pacific field director of the Global Heritage Fund, which is helping Cambodia restore the temple, said at the conference:
"There are major deficiencies like a lack of water and electricity at the site that must receive attention. No water, no tourists." And no World Heritage listing - for the moment.
Cambodian tourism abroad falls amid recession, flu fears
More travellers opt to visit domestic resorts, ecotourism sites
Cambodia's Ministry of Tourism on Thursday said the number of Cambodian tourists visiting foreign countries dropped 78 percent in the first half of 2009 compared with the same period last year.
Kong Sophearak, director of the ministry's Statistics and Tourism Information Department, said Thursday that in the first quarter of last year, 668,555 Cambodian tourists travelled to foreign destinations, but that only 146,056 did so in the first quarter of this year.
Though attributing the drop in part to the global recession and ongoing political turmoil in neighbouring Thailand - a popular destination for Cambodian travellers - Kong Sophearak said the government could not say precisely why so many travellers had decided to stay home.
"We remain unclear about why the number of Cambodian tourists to foreign countries has declined, and whether it will continue to do so," he said.Ang Kem Eang, president of the Cambodian Association of Travel Agents, said Thursday that fears of contracting the H1N1 swine flu virus had likely kept many travellers in the Kingdom.
He said Cambodian tourists who booked trips to Thailand, China, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines last year have now considered destinations closer to home, including local resorts.
"I think that we will see a jump in tourist numbers as fears over H1N1 begin to ease," he said.
Lav Heng, director of VLK Royal Group, said that in the past Cambodians spending substantial amounts of money on travel wanted to see big cities with a variety of sophisticated shopping options.
"I think that many Cambodians are now finding that sophistication in their own country. We have seen a shift towards Cambodia's coastal areas and ecotourism sites," Lav Heng said.
Ministry of Tourism figures for the first six months of 2009 showed that the total number of Cambodian tourists visiting local resorts stood at 4 million, up approximately 5 percent compared with the same period last year, when 3.8 million visited local resorts.
Last year, 6.7 million Cambodian tourists visited well-known domestic resorts in Phnom Penh and in Siem Reap, Preah Sihanouk, Kampot and Kep provinces, and ecotourism resorts in Koh Kong, Kratie, Rattanakkiri, Mondulkiri and Stung Treng provinces, Ministry of Tourism figures showed.
Cambodia's Ministry of Tourism on Thursday said the number of Cambodian tourists visiting foreign countries dropped 78 percent in the first half of 2009 compared with the same period last year.
Kong Sophearak, director of the ministry's Statistics and Tourism Information Department, said Thursday that in the first quarter of last year, 668,555 Cambodian tourists travelled to foreign destinations, but that only 146,056 did so in the first quarter of this year.
Though attributing the drop in part to the global recession and ongoing political turmoil in neighbouring Thailand - a popular destination for Cambodian travellers - Kong Sophearak said the government could not say precisely why so many travellers had decided to stay home.
"We remain unclear about why the number of Cambodian tourists to foreign countries has declined, and whether it will continue to do so," he said.Ang Kem Eang, president of the Cambodian Association of Travel Agents, said Thursday that fears of contracting the H1N1 swine flu virus had likely kept many travellers in the Kingdom.
He said Cambodian tourists who booked trips to Thailand, China, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines last year have now considered destinations closer to home, including local resorts.
"I think that we will see a jump in tourist numbers as fears over H1N1 begin to ease," he said.
Lav Heng, director of VLK Royal Group, said that in the past Cambodians spending substantial amounts of money on travel wanted to see big cities with a variety of sophisticated shopping options.
"I think that many Cambodians are now finding that sophistication in their own country. We have seen a shift towards Cambodia's coastal areas and ecotourism sites," Lav Heng said.
Ministry of Tourism figures for the first six months of 2009 showed that the total number of Cambodian tourists visiting local resorts stood at 4 million, up approximately 5 percent compared with the same period last year, when 3.8 million visited local resorts.
Last year, 6.7 million Cambodian tourists visited well-known domestic resorts in Phnom Penh and in Siem Reap, Preah Sihanouk, Kampot and Kep provinces, and ecotourism resorts in Koh Kong, Kratie, Rattanakkiri, Mondulkiri and Stung Treng provinces, Ministry of Tourism figures showed.
Tourist slump hitting Cambodia's silk sector
The global recession has driven Cambodia's silk sector to the brink of bankruptcy, producers and vendors said Wednesday, adding that sales have dropped as much as 50 percent in the last several months.
Sok Sinath, 45, who owns a small silk-weaving business in Koh Dach village in Kandal province, said most silk producers there feared that they were facing ruin, and that some have already closed.
"Last year, my business was good. But as the economic crisis began affecting tourism, sales have been quiet," she said, adding that she has been forced to drop her prices as much as 50 percent.
Nop Naren, 52, said she had to abandon her business because it was no longer profitable.
"I had to quit two months ago because I could not sell my products. My family has been forced to rely on my two daughters, who work in a garment factory," she said.
Vendors in Phnom Penh have also seen steep declines in trade.
"Without tourists and without a better economy, I don't know how long my shop will be able to survive," said Chan Phary, owner of Tuol Tumpong Silk Shop.
Other manufacturers have been able to compensate slightly for a decline in tourist-related sales through exports.
Neng Thavy, communications manager for Angkor Silk Farm and the Artisans Angkor outlet in Siem Reap, said current sales depend heavily on orders from outside the country.
"We've been able to recover a bit from clients in Vietnam, Korea, Japan and the United States," she said.
Men Sinoeun, executive director of the Artisans Association of Cambodia, a training and trade group, said silk sales last year generated US$2.7 million in revenues for the group's 41 member organisations, but that sales in the first half of 2009 have totaled only $1.1 million.
Sok Sinath, 45, who owns a small silk-weaving business in Koh Dach village in Kandal province, said most silk producers there feared that they were facing ruin, and that some have already closed.
"Last year, my business was good. But as the economic crisis began affecting tourism, sales have been quiet," she said, adding that she has been forced to drop her prices as much as 50 percent.
Nop Naren, 52, said she had to abandon her business because it was no longer profitable.
"I had to quit two months ago because I could not sell my products. My family has been forced to rely on my two daughters, who work in a garment factory," she said.
Vendors in Phnom Penh have also seen steep declines in trade.
"Without tourists and without a better economy, I don't know how long my shop will be able to survive," said Chan Phary, owner of Tuol Tumpong Silk Shop.
Other manufacturers have been able to compensate slightly for a decline in tourist-related sales through exports.
Neng Thavy, communications manager for Angkor Silk Farm and the Artisans Angkor outlet in Siem Reap, said current sales depend heavily on orders from outside the country.
"We've been able to recover a bit from clients in Vietnam, Korea, Japan and the United States," she said.
Men Sinoeun, executive director of the Artisans Association of Cambodia, a training and trade group, said silk sales last year generated US$2.7 million in revenues for the group's 41 member organisations, but that sales in the first half of 2009 have totaled only $1.1 million.
Visa exemptions costly but worth it: officials
Despite costing millions, extra tourism aids economy, govt says
Tourism officials last week announced the loss of more US$14 million in revenue generated by tourists from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations since January 2008, when the government adopted a visa-exemption agreement with five member-states.
According to a report by the Ministry of Tourism, Cambodia honoured 278,842 visa exemptions in the first half of this year from travellers from Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Vietnam and Laos, which resulted in a loss of $5.5 million in revenues.
The report added that last year revenues declined by $8.6 million after visa exemptions totaling 431,426 were issued to tourists from the same countries.
Minister of Tourism Thong Khon said Sunday that Cambodia would extend the visa-exemption programme to four additional ASEAN member-states despite the loss of revenue.
"We realise that our visa-exemption programme for travellers from ASEAN countries results in lower national revenues, but we will continue it because increased arrivals can boost economic growth Kingdom-wide and will create many jobs for Cambodians," Thong Khon said.
He added that visa exemptions would be extended to all ASEAN countries by 2015.
"Next year, we will implement visa exemptions for Thailand, followed later by Indonesia, Brunei and Myanmar," Thong Khon said.
Ho Vandy, co-chair of the Government-Private Sector Tourism Working Group, said Sunday that the visa-exemption programme could help woo more tourists from
ASEAN nations, adding that the number of Vietnamese tourists rose 40 percent last year following the establishment of the visa exemption.
"I think the [programme] provides a positive sign for tourism providers to increase their service competitiveness in order to lure more tourists [to Cambodia]," Ho Vandy said.Some 552,461 tourists from nine ASEAN countries visited Cambodia, according to Ministry of Tourism data.
Cambodia agreed to its first visa-exemption programme with Malaysia in the late 1990s, adding the Philippines, Singapore, Laos and Vietnam in subsequent years.
The Ministry of Tourism estimates that under the visa-exemption programme, at least 1 million tourists from nine ASEAN countries will travel to Cambodia between 2010 and 2011.
Prime Minister Hun Sen said last week that the Kingdom could expect to lose as much as $20 million in revenue each year if the country implemented visa exemptions with all ASEAN member-states.
Tourism officials last week announced the loss of more US$14 million in revenue generated by tourists from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations since January 2008, when the government adopted a visa-exemption agreement with five member-states.
According to a report by the Ministry of Tourism, Cambodia honoured 278,842 visa exemptions in the first half of this year from travellers from Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Vietnam and Laos, which resulted in a loss of $5.5 million in revenues.
The report added that last year revenues declined by $8.6 million after visa exemptions totaling 431,426 were issued to tourists from the same countries.
Minister of Tourism Thong Khon said Sunday that Cambodia would extend the visa-exemption programme to four additional ASEAN member-states despite the loss of revenue.
"We realise that our visa-exemption programme for travellers from ASEAN countries results in lower national revenues, but we will continue it because increased arrivals can boost economic growth Kingdom-wide and will create many jobs for Cambodians," Thong Khon said.
He added that visa exemptions would be extended to all ASEAN countries by 2015.
"Next year, we will implement visa exemptions for Thailand, followed later by Indonesia, Brunei and Myanmar," Thong Khon said.
Ho Vandy, co-chair of the Government-Private Sector Tourism Working Group, said Sunday that the visa-exemption programme could help woo more tourists from
ASEAN nations, adding that the number of Vietnamese tourists rose 40 percent last year following the establishment of the visa exemption.
"I think the [programme] provides a positive sign for tourism providers to increase their service competitiveness in order to lure more tourists [to Cambodia]," Ho Vandy said.Some 552,461 tourists from nine ASEAN countries visited Cambodia, according to Ministry of Tourism data.
Cambodia agreed to its first visa-exemption programme with Malaysia in the late 1990s, adding the Philippines, Singapore, Laos and Vietnam in subsequent years.
The Ministry of Tourism estimates that under the visa-exemption programme, at least 1 million tourists from nine ASEAN countries will travel to Cambodia between 2010 and 2011.
Prime Minister Hun Sen said last week that the Kingdom could expect to lose as much as $20 million in revenue each year if the country implemented visa exemptions with all ASEAN member-states.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
River dolphin deaths double this year: govt
The number of rare Mekong River dolphins found dead between June and August has doubled since the same period last year, according to Touch Seang Tana, chairman of Cambodia's Commission to Conserve Mekong River Dolphins and Develop Eco-Tourism.
"Since June, four dolphins have died," he told the Post on Wednesday.
"During the same period last year, only two dolphins died."
Touch Seang Tana blamed the increase in deaths on higher water levels and the fact the dolphins were escaping a safe-zone that extends nearly 200 kilometres from Kratie provincial town to the Laos border.
He said two dolphins died last year after leaving the safe zone, but he added that 14 dolphins had been born since that time.
The commission's data follows a report in June by the international conservation group WWF that stated that the dolphins were being driven to the brink of extinction by industrial contaminants, inbreeding and disease.
Touch Seang Tana dismissed the report at the time as "all a lie".
The dolphins, which inhabit a 190-kilometre stretch of the Mekong in the northeast of the Kingdom, have been listed as critically endangered by WWF since 2004. The group estimates that between 64 and 76 dolphins remain alive.
"Since June, four dolphins have died," he told the Post on Wednesday.
"During the same period last year, only two dolphins died."
Touch Seang Tana blamed the increase in deaths on higher water levels and the fact the dolphins were escaping a safe-zone that extends nearly 200 kilometres from Kratie provincial town to the Laos border.
He said two dolphins died last year after leaving the safe zone, but he added that 14 dolphins had been born since that time.
The commission's data follows a report in June by the international conservation group WWF that stated that the dolphins were being driven to the brink of extinction by industrial contaminants, inbreeding and disease.
Touch Seang Tana dismissed the report at the time as "all a lie".
The dolphins, which inhabit a 190-kilometre stretch of the Mekong in the northeast of the Kingdom, have been listed as critically endangered by WWF since 2004. The group estimates that between 64 and 76 dolphins remain alive.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)