Minister Announces Huge Rise in 2002 Tourism

Minister of Tourism Veng Seryvuth announced at a news conference Friday that tourist arrivals rose by 30.6 percent in 2002, thanks largely to recent years of peace and stability.

Cambodia has enjoyed a steady increase of visitors for the past four years with 367,743 coming in 1999; 466,365 in 2000; 604,919 in 2001 and an all-time high of 790,000 in 2002, according to Ministry of Tourism figures.

The ministry has also predicted an influx of 1 million tourists in 2003, despite some governments—notably the US and Australia—warning their citizens to avoid the region due to fears of terrorism. Prime Minister Hun Sen has said such warnings are unfounded and has joined Asean leaders in asking that governments refrain from those advisories, saying that the root of terrorism is poverty.

Veng Sereyvuth said Cambo­dia could draw 2.2 million tourists in 2006, thereby generating about 100,000 jobs and $1 billion in revenue. “We want Cambodia to lead Asean tourism,” he said.

Later this month participants in the Asean Tourism Forum will gather in Phnom Penh to sort out the particulars of the Asean Tourism Agreement, which was signed during November’s Asean summit. The pact is intended to boost regional security, develop transportation routes, establish joint marketing and promotion of tourism and ease visa restrictions for Asean citizens.

Thong Khon, secretary of state for the Ministry of Tourism, said ear­lier this month that Asean ministers are also scheduled to release a statement against the trafficking and abuse of women and children. Cambodia has in the past decade gained a reputation as a hot spot for sex tourists seeking underage partners. But Veng Sereyvuth—saying there are more good tourists than bad tourists—showed little concern Friday that flourishing tourism might mean an increase in ped­ophiles coming to Cambodia.

Danish tourists topped direct flight arrivals to Siem Reap, followed by Australian, US, French and South Korean tourists, re­spectively. Veng Sery­vuth said 150,000 of last year’s visitors were Cambo­dians residing overseas.