By Ky Soklim
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from Khmer by Luc Sâr
About 10 islands were already leased to private companies for tourist development. The government hopes to attract new visitors in this manner, but the protection of the environment should not be put in the back burner.
Two islands offshore of Sihanoukville were recently leased to private companies. Along with these 2 latest islands, the number of leased Cambodian islands and islets amounted to 11. At the end of 2007, six islands were leased to seven private companies. This phenomenon could accelerate: “the development of islands becomes a catalyst for attracting more tourists,” a communiqué dated 28 February 2008, from the Council of Development of Cambodia (CDC) explained. This communiqué was made public during the signing of the latest lease contracts for the two islands offshore of Sihanoukville. The kingdom – which attracted 2 million visitors in 2007, and 3 million are expected to visit in 2008 – seeks in fact to diversify its tourist attractions which, for the moment, is concentrated mainly on the Angkor Temple.
The Royal Group Co. Ltd. Telephone Company, led by Kith Meng, just obtained the lease of the Koh Rong Island. His project to develop an eco-tourist site extending over 7,826-hectare is estimated to cost several million dollars.
With similar objective, the Koh Russey Resort Co. Ltd. (KRRC) Now has access to 76-hectare of the total of 137-hectare of land on Koh Russey Island. KRRC plans to invest $48 million. The two concessions extend over a period of 99-year. Both of the leases underscore the lack of information regarding the upcoming development plan. None of the two investors want to reveal their plan.
Cambodia counts 55 islands altogether. “They attract millionaires who want to settle there,” said Touch Sieng Tana, a member of the committee for economic and cultural observation of the Council of Ministers. However, tourist development of these islands is not simple. “They require experienced investors.”
Moeung Sonn, Director of the Eurasie Travel agency, said that he is in favor of the diversification of tourist zones, but he reminded that the protection of the environment should not be neglected. “Development and conservation must go hand in hand,” he suggested. The CDC also adopts the same attitude. “The investment zone and the protected zone must be separate from each other, deforestation must be avoided.” Furthermore, these areas should not be filled nor built with concrete everywhere, otherwise, the tourists will flee from these so-called eco-tourist zones.
Two islands offshore of Sihanoukville were recently leased to private companies. Along with these 2 latest islands, the number of leased Cambodian islands and islets amounted to 11. At the end of 2007, six islands were leased to seven private companies. This phenomenon could accelerate: “the development of islands becomes a catalyst for attracting more tourists,” a communiqué dated 28 February 2008, from the Council of Development of Cambodia (CDC) explained. This communiqué was made public during the signing of the latest lease contracts for the two islands offshore of Sihanoukville. The kingdom – which attracted 2 million visitors in 2007, and 3 million are expected to visit in 2008 – seeks in fact to diversify its tourist attractions which, for the moment, is concentrated mainly on the Angkor Temple.
The Royal Group Co. Ltd. Telephone Company, led by Kith Meng, just obtained the lease of the Koh Rong Island. His project to develop an eco-tourist site extending over 7,826-hectare is estimated to cost several million dollars.
With similar objective, the Koh Russey Resort Co. Ltd. (KRRC) Now has access to 76-hectare of the total of 137-hectare of land on Koh Russey Island. KRRC plans to invest $48 million. The two concessions extend over a period of 99-year. Both of the leases underscore the lack of information regarding the upcoming development plan. None of the two investors want to reveal their plan.
Cambodia counts 55 islands altogether. “They attract millionaires who want to settle there,” said Touch Sieng Tana, a member of the committee for economic and cultural observation of the Council of Ministers. However, tourist development of these islands is not simple. “They require experienced investors.”
Moeung Sonn, Director of the Eurasie Travel agency, said that he is in favor of the diversification of tourist zones, but he reminded that the protection of the environment should not be neglected. “Development and conservation must go hand in hand,” he suggested. The CDC also adopts the same attitude. “The investment zone and the protected zone must be separate from each other, deforestation must be avoided.” Furthermore, these areas should not be filled nor built with concrete everywhere, otherwise, the tourists will flee from these so-called eco-tourist zones.
10 comments:
Good to promote Tourism field if we can but lét's question to whom money will go ? Sok Kong???
Or the government? Who is Sok Kong?
According to a VN local newspaper, he told the news that he is VN and therefore, he needs to serve VN. Is it true?
I hope he is not VN. I wish he was Khmer. And i wish he could serve Cambodia some progess.
4:12, the government only get the taxes. They don't get the money that you pay for food, lodging, plane fare, ... . The business people and the workers get those. Get the picture?
@4:12: Sok Kong is a Vietnamese.
Thanks 4.35 PM.
I got it but still question whey the number of tourists increase but the nation is still poor?
I am rather ignorant about that. Sorry.
Best regards,
Chang
5:41, just because the nation is still poor it doesn't mean that it has not getting a little richer and the life style of more people has not gotten better.
Anyhow, you have to do the math if you want to understand how this whole thing work. I can do some for you here, but I don't know if you are interested in it. It is kind of boring to do the work for nothing if you know what I mean.
But generally, same number of tourists mean no new job, less tourists mean some job lost, and increase number of tourist mean some new job in the tourist area. and that will make some people happy, but it will not add up to a rich nation. I hope you got some idea.
9:52 PM,
I guess I got it. Do you mean people will have more works when there is increase of tourists . Then, gradually we will be able to eradicate poverty.
But poverty is everywhere in our country. And those new jobs can be kinda not good jobs as well. So?
So interesting to read yours.
Regards,
Sokong is not a simple Vietnamese but one of the invaded General that stay to controle the monkeys PHD!
10:58, I am glad you understand my explanation.
And yes, like anywhere else, there are good jobs and bad jobs in tourism, office, engineering, and what have you, but in any case, you got to start at the bottom.
Stupid tourist mean notthing if the government do nothing to protect the job for the Khmer!
The Viet will got all the beaf! Like how Sok kong get almost free deal for Ankor Watt.
What? where did you get that from?
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