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Cambodia – COVID-19: Unemployment response now extended to tourism workers
The Ministry of Tourism has announced $2.4 million in wage subsidies for the approximately 30,000 workers that have lost their jobs out of the almost 630,000 who work in the tourism sector, due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.
In this third round of COVID-19 measures to support unemployed workers across the country, the government will now provide $40 each month for unemployed people across the tourism sector including workers in hotels, guest houses, restaurants and tour operators.
The payments will be provided for two months per Article 71 of the labour law.After these two months, the government will revise the subsidy in line with the current economic situation.
Private business owners in the sector have also been asked to voluntarily contribute as much financial assistance as possible to their laid-off workers, in an effort to add to the government payments. In response, the government has also announced that private companies and businesses can delay all seniority payments within the sector from 2020 to 2021.
Payments will only be provided to workers with businesses formally registered with the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, the Ministry of Tourism or the Ministry of Commerce
Ho Vany, president of tour operator World Express said he applauded any government that would ease the burden on unemployed people during this pandemic.
“We welcome and thank these new government measures to assist unemployed workers in the tourism industry. Even though this is a small amount, it shows the government’s attention to the unemployed during this hard time. However, I am not sure which companies will be able to pay their staff additional payments as it will depend on the financial health of each company,” Ho said.
“This COVID-19 pandemic is the worst catastrophe for the global tourism industry I have witnessed in the last 30 years,” Ho added.
Many tourism sector workers, like the guide pictured above, will receive a $40 monthly handout. KT/Pann Rachana
Thourn Sinan, president of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) also said that even though it is a small amount it shows a good response by the government.
“Of course $40 a month is difficult to survive on, but it is better than nothing and I really do appreciate the government’s effort. This will allow people in the rural areas to at least survive week to week; we cannot compare financial figures that developed countries are paying their unemployed workers,” Thourn said.
“This COVID-19 pandemic has also affected me personally with my company having to suspend 70 percent of our staff while the remaining 30 percent are on half wages. I am also still waiting for an official notice from the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training to register all my suspended workers with the government for this payment,” Thourn added.
Chhay Sivlin, president of the Cambodian Association of Travel Agents said that the majority of those unemployed workers were tour operators and guides, and hotel and restaurant workers.
The Ministry’s data shows that the country welcomed 931,826 foreign visitors during the first two months of this year, a decline of 50 percent compared with the same period last year before strict COVID-19 health measures were enforced across the world.
Source: https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50711331/covid-19-unemployment-response-now-extended-to-tourism-workers/