• Society

Big Bang Idea for Siem Reap Revival

• By Nicolò Tissier
• February 6, 2023 2:07 PM

SIEM REAP –  Siem Reap Tourism Club (STC) president Philipp Kao has a grand vision of how tourism in the region can be developed: “Make a big noise about Siem Reap in the local and international community”.

“We want to show the new face of Siem Reap, that got upgraded during the COVID-19 period,” he said. Examples were the new roads and the Aquarium, the first of the country.

“The key role of STC is to put Siem Reap on the map.”

Kao intends to diversify the tourist activities of the city beyond the Angkor temples.

First, he wants to promote local products. Hence the rice festival that took place from Jan. 27 to 29 where Cambodian rice producers and rice-based cuisine were celebrated.

STC intends to continue in that direction by creating new events of that kind. “The next events will be planned in advance and with more people,” he said.

The second objective is to attract local Cambodian visitors, a big potential for development, though promoting international tourism is a priority.

He counts on word-of-mouth to spread the region’s reputation. “It is also important to maintain the quality of tourism,” he says.

With borders opening and tourism reviving globally, Siem Reap’s economy and tourism will face challenges.

To respond, Kao reckons that the new airport, set to open in October, could change a lot.

Among the new arrivals will be Chinese tourists, principal visitors to Cambodia, who have been absent during the last years because of COVID-19 restrictions.

Kao said that in 2022 Siem Reap welcomed 35 percent of the number of visitors in 2019, before COVID-19. “I hope that by the end of 2023 we’ll have reached between 40 and 50 percent.”