By A.N.
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the article in French
There’s no longer any need to speed up your visit at Cambodia’s past jewels. The validity length of the visiting tickets has been changed.
At least the economic crisis allows some flexibility to the visit of the unavoidable Angkor temples. At the request made by tourist professionals, and based on a decision made by Hun Sen, the ministry of Tourism asked the Sokimex concession company to bring some changes to the visit tickets.
Although there is no change to the daily visit tickets ($20), the $40 tickets for 3 consecutive days visit can now be used for visiting the site up to 3 (non-consecutive) times, but the three visits must be done during one week. That was what one official from the Apsara authority indicated while assuring that these measures will allow a better planning for tourists visiting the site, as well as flexibility in their visits.
As for the $60 weekly visit tickets, they can now be used to access the temples for 7 days, but over a period of one month.
Nothing has been decided yet for expats, especially those residing in Siem Reap, the location of the temples. They were considered as any other tourist, even for those who are married to local people, and they have children who are half-Cambodians. The idea of a yearly pass, even a paying one, never came to fruition in spite of the demands made by these expats.
These new measures, which are already pleasing tourism professionals, will come into effect as soon as the new tickets are printed.
Also according to the Cambodian ministry of Tourism, the country welcomed 2.1 million tourists in 2008, i.e. an increase of 5.5% over 2007.
At least the economic crisis allows some flexibility to the visit of the unavoidable Angkor temples. At the request made by tourist professionals, and based on a decision made by Hun Sen, the ministry of Tourism asked the Sokimex concession company to bring some changes to the visit tickets.
Although there is no change to the daily visit tickets ($20), the $40 tickets for 3 consecutive days visit can now be used for visiting the site up to 3 (non-consecutive) times, but the three visits must be done during one week. That was what one official from the Apsara authority indicated while assuring that these measures will allow a better planning for tourists visiting the site, as well as flexibility in their visits.
As for the $60 weekly visit tickets, they can now be used to access the temples for 7 days, but over a period of one month.
Nothing has been decided yet for expats, especially those residing in Siem Reap, the location of the temples. They were considered as any other tourist, even for those who are married to local people, and they have children who are half-Cambodians. The idea of a yearly pass, even a paying one, never came to fruition in spite of the demands made by these expats.
These new measures, which are already pleasing tourism professionals, will come into effect as soon as the new tickets are printed.
Also according to the Cambodian ministry of Tourism, the country welcomed 2.1 million tourists in 2008, i.e. an increase of 5.5% over 2007.
10 comments:
a welcoming relief! this is a huge improvement, a smart way to get more tourists to stay longer in the country which is good for cambodia's economy. god bless cambodia.
Money is not going to the needy nor the the government.
All money goes to Sokimex and Hun Sen.
Hun Sen and His associates shall be punished when time come.
With the global economy is currently in a little state of a mess, it's good to see Sokimex adapting to the decline of tourist arrivals by implementing changes that will encourage longer stays and multiple trips for the international tourists seeking an adventure in Cambodia. This is a good attempt, but we won't know the success of it yet until some financial data begins to roll in.
Money goes to sok kong and hun sen's pocket! good only to their pocket...economy is shit no matter what!
this guy sounds so pessimistic, no wonder cambodia looks to gloomy! hey, relax and smell the coffee for a change, would ya! it's not that bad!
I, on the other hand, would just ask myself this one question - will the Hun Sen Viet controlled regime in Phnom Penh ever care at all about Khmer people?
Anybody, please help answer my question?
10:54 AM's casual and cavalier comment just made me wonder...what is it that is meant by "it's not that bad!"?
Khmer ancestors had built Angkor.....
but today is so sad for Cambodia & its People.
A reporter from ABC,Foreigns correspondent,Eric Campbell said :
" Sok Kong is the King of Angkor "
Nothing wrong with Sok Kong being King. He's the one who attracted all of the tourists here.
welcome to the reality show! this is called diverity, and the entire world is so full of diversity. so, welcome to the world community, cambodia. don't hate or feel jealous just because other people are successful and become smarter, unlike in the olden days when only a handful of people are fortunate enough to get education, or travel abroad. cambodia has overcome all of that old obstacle, slowly but surely. god bless cambodia.
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