4 April 2014
Koh Kong and Kampot province tourism departments
both registered sharp declines in visitor numbers during the first three months
of 2014 compared to the same period last year, prompting a call for improved
road and transport infrastructure. About 28,300 tourists visited Koh Kong
province between January and March this year, according to the Koh Kong
provincial Department of Tourism. The figure represents an 18% drop compared to
Q1 in 2013.
Meanwhile, Kampot Province recorded a 14% decline
in tourist arrivals over the past three months, with about 300,000, compared to
350,000 during the same period in 2013.
The Koh Kong provincial tourism department said
the decline was caused by the long distance by road from Phnom Penh and poor
road conditions within the province, which connect the seaside to the Cardamom
Mountains where most tourists like to visit. Kampot province tourism department
said the 14% drop in tourism figures was due largely to a decline in Bokor
Mountain visitors. It seems the tourists have changed their destination to
somewhere else.
Meanwhile, in neighboring coastal provinces, Preah
Sihanouk and Kep, tourism has continued to see positive numbers of tourists. Preah
Sihanouk tourism officials said tourists over the past three months totaled
445,037, an increase of 26% compared to the same time in 2013. The Kep tourism
department said tourist arrivals had increased 20% over the past three months
primarily due to road works leading to the province.
President of Cambodia of Association of Travel and
Agent (CATA) rallied behind Koh Kong tourism official’s concerns, saying the
lack of reliable transport infrastructure such as roads is the primary factor
for the sharp decline. He called on local officials and the Cambodian
government to improve road quality and connectivity in all four coastal areas
in order to boost tourist numbers.
The country’s damaged, time consuming road network
is the subject of a new law currently being debated by the National Assembly.
The new law says transport officials must regularly check roads for damage and
call out dodgy contractors using poor quality materials.
Source:
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/seaside-officials-call-action
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