Business in tourism area recovers during Water Festival

Some tour operators have reopened their businesses and earned a good income after the tour, especially during the festival. Water this year. Civil society officials urge the government to respond and take clear responsibility for the country’s reopening policy to ensure that the government does not take citizenship Yourself to try to launch the national economy.

You are engaged in tourist areas to enable business and earn progressively and after the crisis, Ko Wing – 19 prolonged For almost two years now.

Souvenir seller around the Bayon temple in Siem Reap province, Mon Sopheap, told RFA on November 19 that this year’s Water Festival is for local tourists. Visited Siem Reap to visit the temple and buy more souvenirs than ever and she can earn from 4 to 50,000 Riel per day. She expects the Angkor souvenir business to recover after the government allows international tourists Cambodia again:  ” During the Water Festival, we have a lot of national guests, just a little bit, so go out of the water, I do not know No, wait and see the water month, lest international guests come back, just sell some, if not, sell out No, ” he said .

Similarly, a trader at a tourist site in Sihanoukville, Ms. Eng Chhay Ly, said that during the Water Festival, many tourists make her sell. The sea is pretty isolated. “She is happy to be back in business, but she is still worried about the spread of Kovid – 19,  ” she said. As the economy goes on, I make easy money and I am no longer difficult, so when we have problems, we do not know which way to go. Please ask his authorities to be careful not to accumulate, so it’s at that time do not know less, know how another dose of vaccine three times, I played three times and I’m still nervous . ‘

As for the tuk-tuk driver in Phnom Penh, Mr. Chheang Sinath, he observed that this year, tourists seem to spend more than before. He said that before the festival season, he earns about 10,000 riel per day, but these days he can earn 40,000 Riel per day:  ” About 20% of customers who travel to Koh Pich by the river in front The palace and other attractions are already transported, in the evening he walks alone, a few feet away, because he is not rich, he still walks Concerns COR – 19 .

RFA was unable to contact Tourism Ministry spokesman Top Sopheak to inquire about the resumption of tourism, starting with the Royal Water Festival. Yes, on November 19.

But the Ministry of Tourism claims on Facebook that the first day of the Water Festival, floating lanterns and worshiping the moon Ok Ambok on November 18, there are tourists who go Walking through the various tourist destinations across the country a total of more than 1 million 3 thousand  132 . ( 013 )  in which visitors 1 million 3 thousand people  . ( 130, 002 )  and international guests, more than 2 billion people . ( 2 011 )  among the targeted provinces of Siem Reap, Sihanoukville, Kampot Kep, Mondulkiri and Pursat provinces.

However, the president of the Federation of Trade Unions for Tourism and Services of Cambodia, Mr. Mam Rithy observed that the holiday of the Water Festival, tourist sites across the country. Especially in Siem Reap, Sihanoukville, Kampot, Kep and Phnom Penh, things are not going well yet because people do not believe or worry about communicable disease. – 19 and economic factors that have suffered in the past. He said that only about 20 percent of businesses have reopened in the tourist areas:  “The government must be extremely prepared, especially the Ministry of Economy, Finance and the Ministry of Health to pay for the risks involved. People, even if we open the tour as a test, it is related to the life and health of our people, we dare to do that, we must takes responsibility for the people . ‘

The Ministry’s report showed that in 2020, domestic tourists of some 9 million people has decreased by 20 % compared to 2019. For the first 7 months of 2021, Cambodia received more than 2 million domestic tourists . (  2  300  951  . ) . The Ministry of Tourism claims that the promotion of domestic tourists at this time is important for the socio-economic recovery and support for tourism business. Again