By:
• Nhek Sreyleak

• 9, July 2024 , 6:15 PM

PHNOM PENH – Visas should be waived for tourists in the low season to tackle low visitor numbers, Cambodian Association of Travel Agents president Chhay Sivlin says.

Discussion of a significant shortage of tourists has spread recently on social networks, questioning why neighboring countries can attract more tourists than Cambodia.

Chhay Sivlin said neighboring countries have many tourist hubs, policies to attract tourists and visa waivers.   

Cambodia had fewer tourists during the low season compared to the high season due to problems they faced in the rainy season.

“The high season starts from late October to early April whereas the low season runs from the end of April to the beginning of October,” she said. 

Most of the tourist sites were of cultural heritage value so shelters to protect visitors from the sun and rain were prohibited. 

“International tourists enjoy traveling and photography, thus they find the rainy season disruptive,” she said. 

Sivlin said low-season challenges existed before COVID-19. However, the shortage of tourists in recent months has worsened. 

“I wish to see tourism strategies implemented by the government to attract more tourists during the low season,” she said. 

“Visa waivers should be implemented and free tickets for Angkor Archeological Park should be available in the low season.

“The association has raised this visa waiver since the outbreak of COVID-19. I am uncertain whether the government will conduct further study on that matter. As a private sector, all we can do is ask,” she said. 

Sivlin said neighboring countries have carried out many policies to attract tourists. 

“Since they are rich, they have allocated more funds towards advertising tourist destinations, visa waiver implementation and providing some incentives to customer service agents,” she said. 

“I have noticed that tourists tend to save up more money and reduce their expenses while traveling.

“Most tourists analyze which country has better tourism policies and less complexity. Thus, those countries could attract a larger influx of tourists even in the low season,” she said.  

Cambodia has launched a tourism marketing and promotion board, involving representatives from eight public institutions and seven private sectors, aiming at promoting tourism to international markets. 

 

Originally written in Khmer for ThmeyThmey, this story was translated by Rin Ousa for Cambodianess.