Thailand
Cambodia: New eco-tourism site for Siem Reap
The Ministry of Tourism has announced it will develop Tek Chhub Khnar Pou community, the only mangrove forest in Siem Reap province, into a new eco-tourism site, a move to diversify the Kingdom’s tourism destinations to attract more visitors.
Located in Sout Nikom district’s Khnar Pou commune, Tek Chhub Khnar Pou community, which has been established since 1998 on 1,022 hectares of land, is 30 kilometres from Siem Reap city centre, where nearly 100 hectares of mangrove trees grow in the province.
The Tourism Minister Thong Khon, said during ameeting with community people that the ministry will develop the community into a model eco-tourism site in the province. He said that the new eco-tourism will provide a huge potential to attract both local and international visitors after the COVID-19 pandemic ends.
“Everyone knows that mangrove trees grow in sea water but, here in Siem Reap, we have mangrove trees on nearly 100 hectares of land that is another potential for attracting more visitors to Siem Reap,” he said.
According to the minister, the Ministry of Tourism, together with the Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, has already set up many eco-tourism sites in some provinces, that are attracting not only local but international tourists as well.
Existing eco-tourism sites include Chhi phatt and Chhay Areng in Koh Kong province, Koh Trung eco-tourism community in Kratie province, Kampong Pluk in Siem Reap, Banteay Chmar in Banteay Meanchey and Mlup Baitong eco-tourism in Kampong Speu province.
The Minister said the sustainable and responsible development of tourism destinations will help to earn more revenue for local people.
“We, together need to protect the forest [mangrove trees] and develop our community into a comfortable, relaxing place, offering good services, including hospitality and cleaning,” he said.
Khon said, however, a lot of things needed to be developed because the community still has challenges such as infrastructure including roads, internet, phone services, electricity access and waste management. He said the ministry will first repair a three-kilometre length of damaged road to facilitate travelling to the area.
Chhay Sivlin, president of the Cambodian Association of Travel Agents, who also joined the Minister, said that the community is in a central area close to other main tourism sites such as Banteay Srey, Kbal Spean and Kulen Mountain.
“That is why it will be a new potential eco-tourism site to attract both local and international visitors,” she said. The ministry will develop the infrastructure in the community while the association will prepare its promotion to local and international visitors. “We will include
it in the package tour after COVID-19,” she added.
Currently the Kingdom’s tourism sector depends mostly on its cultural and historical tourism sites, known as Angkor Wat, which earns around more than $100 million a year.
Because of COVID-19, data from the state-owned Angkor enterprise shows that from January to April this year, the park’s revenue has declined almost 60 percent generating approximately $18 million from a total of 384,317 foreign visitors
Minister Thong Khon said Cambodia could see a huge loss of $3 billion in revenue from the tourism sector this year.
Source: https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50737067/new-eco-tourism-site-for-siem-reap/