Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Crooner Keating rocks Cambodia into the spotlight

AFP

Irish pop star Ronan Keating, who is playing Cambodia's first major international concert Wednesday, said he hoped his appearance would encourage tourists to visit the impoverished country.

"I hope that me coming here opens up doors and allows people to understand that: Come on, let's go to Cambodia -- and more bands should come over here and hype it up, big it up," Keating said at a press conference.

"I hope that this opens a massive door to allow other artists to come through and do shows here and also for tourism in Cambodia, to make more people understand, come on over and check it out," he added.

The former frontman of boy band Boyzone will perform in Phnom Penh's Olympic Stadium on Wednesday night.

Cambodia has hosted a number of minor foreign music acts in recent years, but Keating's concert is intended to open the way for greater international exposure for the country.

One of the poorest countries in the world, Cambodia is struggling to recover from decades of civil war, and tourism is one of the kingdom's few viable money-spinners.

Tourist arrivals in Cambodia jumped more than 20 percent to about 1.7 million in 2006.

Keating's concert is part of a one-week Asian tour which also included performances in Bangkok and Taipei.

Since first hitting the stage with Boyzone in 1994, Keating has racked up 28 top 10 hits and sold more than 21 million albums worldwide.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey, hey, one or two bands a year
is enough here. We don't want to
forget our own music.

Anonymous said...

Hi 5:20!

Are you crazy? there are different ways to promot tourism industry in our country. Music is one of thee best way to help attract tourist to come to Cambodia. You should appriciate for what the singer had done for us.
Hun Sen could not help us to promote the country, but the other person does.
Thank,

Anonymous said...

Shut upp you!7:00PM

We warmly welcome you all.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, who the hell will want to
come to Cambodia for English
music? that is sick. Normal people
will go to the US, UK, ..., or AU
for that, you morons!

Anonymous said...

Welcome to Cambodia! Please come again and this time bring Bono and U2 or even the Rolling Stones along.

Anonymous said...

It doesn't matter whether it is English or French language because music is a universal language!!!!

Please bring more music to Cambodia!!!For me I just love to listen to all kind of music!!!

Anonymous said...

To 7.54pm, you may be right that who will come to Cambodia becos of music, but at least they feel that Cambodia is now free from war, Cambodia is safe and secure...

Anonymous said...

Okay, I tell you what, fellows: so
long you don't mind the vietnamese
does the same thing, I am willing
to go along with you. How does that
sound?

Anonymous said...

To 7:55AM!

Fuck that! I want European influence not the Vietcong influence!!!The Vietcong can stay out in the cold!!!

Anonymous said...

Bullshit, No Double-Standard here!

Anonymous said...

NO double standard here! Cambodia is already saturated with the Vietcong influence already and fuck that!!!

Anonymous said...

Maybe, but I see no one is dancing
to vietnamese beat.

Anonymous said...

PS: Come to think of it, it is time
to bring 3 millions Yuons from Hanoi to help dilute the damn
westerners' influences from here. Yurk!

Anonymous said...

Blair's Protection of Elite Paedophile Rings Spells the End For His Career...

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http://www.propagandamatrix.com/blair_protection.html