AKP Phnom Penh, January 28, 2021 --

It is necessary to properly enforce health measures and tourism safety in order to promote the tourism and ecotourism communities in this COVID-19 era, emphasised H.E. Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism.

At the opening ceremony of 2nd National Ecotourism Forum held in Siem Reap provincial city on Jan. 27, H.E. Thong Khon, also Head of the Inter-ministerial Working Group for the Management and Development of Tourism and Ecotourism Communities, said during this COVID-19 crisis, domestic tourist movement at ecotourism areas, tourist communities and adventure tourism areas has boomed, bringing direct income to local residents and making the ecotourism sector and tourist communities resilient, thereby contributing to supporting the field of tourism in general, in particular reducing the loss of income due to the decline in the number of foreign tourists.

Important ecotourism areas such as Khnang Phsar, Oral mountain, Kirirom, Chi Phat, Areng, Peam Krasom, Sre Ambel, Veal Thom, Samlot, Phnom Tbeng, Samot Chhoeu, Ramsar areas, Tonle Sap Lake, Phnom Koulen, and so on saw a notable increase in domestic tourists in 2020, added the minister.

H.E. Thong Khon asked relevant ministries and institutions to solve key challenges such as road linking to communities, electricity and drinking water supply, telephone and internet connection, etc.

H.E. Minister encouraged the private sector, especially tour agencies to increase package tours to various tourist communities in the country to help stabilise local people’s living conditions during and after the COVID-19 crisis.

By Lim Nary