More Cambodians Get to Discover and Love Their Own Tourism Destinations Due to Covid-19
- Cambodianess
- July 19, 2020 9:47 AM
It has been well over a week since the two pals, Samnang and Sothie, have met each other either physically or virtually. These two friends were traveling separately with their own families to various tourism destinations across many provinces in Cambodia. They were eager to see how young Cambodians like to discover and visit the historical, traditional and natural tourism locations during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Sothie: It looks like many Cambodians have been traveling to various provinces a lot more than usual over the last few months.
Samnang: Oh yes! They have been to many places. Especially the tourism destinations located in mountainous areas, flatlands, at the seaside and historical sites as well as near villages inhabited by the indigenous minorities.
Sothie: I wonder why there has recently been a boom in domestic tourism.
Samnang: Come on, Sothie. The reason is fairly simple. COVID-19 does not allow many people to travel freely and safely outside our borders.
Sothie: So, what you’re trying to tell me is that, without the pandemic, less people would be traveling domestically to visit their own tourism destinations.
Samnang: Well, you can put it that way. Actually, if COVID-19 was not occurring, some people in Cambodia would still spend their time travelling domestically. However, some are emotionally attached to foreign lands and others are curious about them. This type of travelers or tourists are attracted by things foreign.
Sothie: Eh, Samnang. I have heard of foreign countries that are beautiful.
Samnang: What you have heard is not wrong. However, the landscape of our own country is not bad either. Keep in mind that Cambodia is a very fertile land. When you try to picture the landscape of Cambodia’s countryside, it looks exactly like illustrations you see in some children’s books. It is so beautiful that I find it hard for me describe it in words. Saying that other countries’ landscape is more beautiful than the one in Cambodia, that would be incorrect. However, if someone says that the landscape in Cambodia and the landscape in other countries have their own uniqueness in terms of beauty, I think that would be more appropriate.
Sothie: Based on what you have just said, are you trying to tell me that people in Cambodia are starting to realize the beauty and potential of our own tourism destinations?
Samnang: As a whole, COVID-19 is definitely not a good thing. However, the pandemic is making Cambodians travel and discover their own tourist destinations, including nature preserves and places that were developed while keeping their natural settings. If people in Cambodia hardly know what we have within our own borders, then we will not be able to appreciate our own natural wealth. All in all, Cambodians should at least get to know and get to discover many or even all of our tourism destinations before crossing borders to visit other countries’ tourism destinations. All countries have their own uniqueness. Cambodians should have the will and enthusiasm of telling people of other countries about our own beautiful tourism destinations! Please do not just speak of other countries’ beautiful place: Also tell them about our own! Sothie, let me ask you something. Could each Cambodian become a messenger or even an advertiser of his or her land with people from other countries?
Sothie: Yes, they can. Cambodians can do it! If the Cambodian people cannot even achieve this little thing, do not even think of trying to do something bigger.
