Cambodia unveils strategy to attract Chinese tourists

Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism on Wednesday finalized its 5-year strategic plan to attract at least 1.3 million Chinese visitors by 2018. Speaking at a seminar on Cambodia tourism marketing strategy targeting China, So Visothy, director of the Tourism Ministry’s Marketing and Promotion Department, said that currently China is the third largest tourist arrival group to Cambodia. The country greeted 333,890 Chinese visitors in 2012, up 35 percent year-on-year, and during the first four months of this year, some 174,150 Chinese visited Cambodia, up 55 percent compared with the same period last year. … To reach the goal, Cambodia would continue broadening promotion of Cambodian tourism destinations to China and encouraging more direct flight connection between the two countries, he said. According to the strategic plan, the country would prepare entry-exit application forms and announcements at airports in Chinese language, write signs on main roads in Chinese language, study to establish China Town and train more Chinese speaking tour guides. Tourism is one of the major sectors supporting Cambodian economy. Last year, the country received 3.58 million foreign tourists, up 24 percent year-on-year, and generated total revenue of about 2.2 billion U.S. dollars, or 12 percent of the GDP, said the ministry of tourism. …

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