Cruise Ship Arrivals Dip 31% in First Half

The number of visitors arriving by cruise ship in Sihanoukville dropped steeply in the first six months of the year compared to the same period last year, a Tourism Ministry official said yesterday. A lack of attractions in Sihanoukville and high visa fees were keeping ships and their passengers away from the coastal town, said Ho Vandy, co-cair of the Government-Private Sector working group on tourism. Regular flight services to and from Sihanoukville would help the situation, he said.